India US AI Bilateral Negotiations Anthropic Claude Fable 5

Washington and New Delhi are engaged in high-level, sensitive diplomatic negotiations regarding the controlled release of advanced artificial intelligence models. The bilateral talks focus on securing dependable access to frontier technologies developed by Anthropic following recent stringent export restrictions imposed by the United States government.

Weeks after the Trump administration blocked access to Anthropic’s newly-launched AI models for all foreign nationals, India and the US are reportedly in talks for “gradual” roll out of advanced large language models (LLM).

Speaking with news agency ANI, US under secretary of economic growth, Jacob Helberg, said that the two countries are holding high-level, “sensitive” deliberations regarding the release of sophisticated AI models, including those developed by Anthropic. Without disclosing much about the negotiations, he said that the two countries are in strong alignment.

Emphasising that both nations are prioritising a secure and collaborative approach to frontier AI, Helberg reportedly said that the US is committed to a “gradual, measured approach” to ensure safe rollout of AI models for India and other “trusted partners”.

“We continue to have ongoing conversations about this topic with our Indian friends… But I think both sides really understand each other’s perspectives, our intention is very much to continue a gradual measured approach to how we release Anthropic’s models in a way that is safe, both for ourselves but also for our Indian counterparts as well as all our trusted partners for our critical infrastructure…,” added Helberg.

The comments came on the same day as IT secretary S Krishnan was in the US to attend the second Pax Silica Summit. Speaking on the sidelines of the summit, he reportedly expressed concerns over the reliability of access to advanced AI models from Anthropic and others.

“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 reportedly added.

The comments come weeks after Anthropic received an export control directive from US authorities, ordering the AI giant to block access to Claude Fable 5 for all foreign nationals, including non-US employees working at the company.

The order left Anthropic with little choice but to disable the models globally for all its customers, while claiming that it had no clarity on what prompted the US government’s intervention.

The development came days after Anthropic announced the launch of Fable 5 and Mythos 5. While Fable 5 is designed as a general-purpose version of Anthropic’s new Mythos-class models, Mythos 5 is an advanced, but highly restricted version of Anthropic’s flagship Claude 5 AI model.

Rather than opening it to new users, the company initially made Mythos available only to a select organisations under Project Glasswing, its cybersecurity-focused programme run in collaboration with the US government.

The launch of Claude Mythos Preview had raised concerns across countries on its potential misuse – potentially enabling hackers to identify and exploit critical software vulnerabilities. The aftermath saw many critics flagging India’s over dependence on foreign AI platforms and the need for a more effective national AI strategy.

This strategy ensures safety for the US, India, and other trusted partners relying on critical infrastructure technologies, says Anthropic’s Jacob Helberg

The United States and India are engaged in high-level, “sensitive” discussions regarding the release of advanced artificial intelligence models, including those developed by Anthropic. US Under Secretary of Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg confirmed the ongoing dialogue, emphasising that both nations are prioritising a secure and collaborative approach to frontier AI technology.

In an exclusive conversation regarding the rollout of models like Anthropic’s Fable to ANI, Helberg stressed that the US is committed to a “gradual, measured approach.” This strategy is designed to ensure safety not only for the United States but also for India and other “trusted partners” who rely on these technologies for critical infrastructure, such as power grids.

Helberg highlighted the complex nature of these negotiations, noting that while the discussions involve “sensitive national security” matters that cannot be fully detailed for public consumption, the two countries are in strong alignment.

“We continue to have ongoing conversations about this topic with our Indian friends. These are very sensitive national security discussions that are not quite right for public consumption. But I think both sides really understand each other’s perspectives, our intention is very much to continue a gradual measured approach to how we release Anthropic’s models in a way that is safe, both for ourselves but also for our Indian counterparts as well as all our trusted partners for our critical infrastructure, for our power grid and so we are going to continue making sure that we do the hardwork in having those conversations.,” Helberg added, underscoring the deep cooperation between Washington and New Delhi.

The ongoing dialogue reflects the growing importance of the US-India technology partnership. As both nations explore the integration of advanced AI across sensitive sectors, they are working to establish frameworks that manage the risks associated with frontier models while fostering technological advancement.

By maintaining these high-level conversations, both sides aim to safeguard their critical infrastructure from the potential disruptions that can accompany the rapid deployment of powerful AI systems.The talks come at a time when India is rapidly integrating AI into its digital ecosystem and governance systems, while prioritising stability and uninterrupted technological access.India has raised concerns over the risk of abrupt disruptions in access to frontier AI systems and their potential impact on long-term projects.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2nd Pax Silica Summit in Washington, S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said that India had expressed concerns over the reliability of access to advanced AI models such as Anthropic’s Claude.

The discussions are taking place as India explores broader use of advanced AI systems across multiple sectors, while simultaneously seeking safeguards against sudden disruptions in access.Officials noted that such interruptions in foundational AI technologies could arise due to geopolitical developments, export control regulations, or commercial decisions by providers, potentially affecting long-term AI-driven initiatives and digital infrastructure.

To address these concerns, India sought greater clarity on the US regulatory framework and its long-term approach to AI technology access. In June 2026, 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.

Krishnan said India was given an understanding of how the United States views the issue and how it intends to ensure that access to technology does not become a challenge for trusted partners in the future.He added that India remains committed to strengthening international cooperation while promoting resilient and diversified technology supply chains to support the long-term growth of the global AI ecosystem.

Future Outlook

The strategic alignment between Washington and New Delhi points toward a highly regulated, tier-based allocation model for international AI dissemination. As foundational models become increasingly vital to national security and public utilities, sudden administrative export blockages present substantial operational vulnerabilities for international partners. Navigating these regulatory frameworks will require bilateral guarantees to assure sovereign partners that critical technological pipelines will remain insulated from sudden unilateral policy shifts.

FAQs

What prompted the high-level AI discussions between India and the United States?

The sensitive negotiations were initiated after the United States Commerce Department issued an export control directive in June 2026. This mandate forced Anthropic to block all foreign nationals from accessing its advanced Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 artificial intelligence models, prompting Indian officials to seek assurances regarding access reliability.

What is the difference between Anthropic’s Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models?

Fable 5 functions as a general-purpose iteration of Anthropic’s latest generation architecture. Conversely, Mythos 5 is an elite, highly restricted variant of the flagship Claude 5 framework, operated under the joint US government initiative Project Glasswing to address highly sensitive cybersecurity operations.

Why is the United States restricting the rollout of these AI systems?

US authorities implemented the restrictions due to significant national security concerns. Frontier AI systems like Mythos 5 possess capabilities that critics fear could be exploited by hostile actors to pinpoint vulnerabilities in critical software systems and public infrastructure like power grids.

How is the Indian government addressing these technological limitations?

S Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, engaged US officials directly during the Pax Silica Summit to secure reliable tech pipelines. Concurrently, the restrictions have led domestic industry analysts to emphasize the importance of accelerating a sovereign, resilient national AI strategy for India.