US and India Discuss Gradual Release of Anthropic AI Models
The United States and India are engaged in high-level discussions to establish a secure and predictable framework for sharing frontier artificial intelligence technologies, particularly Anthropic's Claude models. US Under Secretary of Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg confirmed that both nations are pursuing a 'gradual, measured approach' to ensure safe deployment across critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Helberg emphasised the sensitivity of these national security discussions, noting that the goal is to balance security imperatives with reliable, long-term access for trusted partners like India. The talks come as India integrates advanced AI into its digital architecture and public services, seeking assurances against sudden disruptions.
India Seeks Reliability in AI Access
India has raised concerns about the potential for abrupt cutoffs in access to frontier AI models, which could arise from geopolitical developments, export controls, or commercial decisions. Speaking at the 2nd Pax Silica Summit in Washington, S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said India sought an understanding of how the US views this issue and how future access can be made reliable.
'We sought an understanding of how exactly the US is looking at this particular aspect and what their concerns are and how, in the future, this could be a reliable source of technology, because if it is something which is to be used and made available, we can't have abrupt cutoffs,' Krishnan said. He added that the US provided an understanding of its approach and how it intends to ensure access for trusted partners.
US Export Controls on Anthropic Models
In June, the US Commerce Department issued an export control directive requiring Anthropic to restrict foreign nationals from using its newly launched AI models, Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5. This directive underscores the regulatory environment in which these discussions are taking place. India is exploring the use of advanced AI across multiple sectors and seeks to safeguard its technological infrastructure from potential disruptions.
Krishnan noted that India remains focused on strengthening international cooperation while supporting resilient and diversified technology supply chains that can contribute to the long-term growth of the global AI ecosystem. The discussions are part of a broader effort to deepen the US-India technological partnership amidst evolving AI governance frameworks.
