India joins US-led Pax Silica initiative on AI, supply chain of critical minerals
Member countries of Pax Silica include Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
India today (20 February) joined the US-led strategic alliance Pax Silica, which aims to build a resilient supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
India signed a pact joining the coalition during a ceremony at the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, attended by Indian Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg.
Member countries of Pax Silica include Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.
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US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor had invited India to join the bloc amid continuing efforts to finalise a proposed trade agreement and expand cooperation in emerging technologies and supply chains.
Gor said, "India joins Pax Silica, the coalition that will define the 21st century economic and technological order."
The Pax Silica declaration is aimed towards building a secure, resilient and innovation-driven ecosystem for critical minerals and AI.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Vaishnaw highlighted the broader vision behind Pax Silica, saying it "will greatly benefit India's electronics and semiconductor industry of India. Ten plants are already established in India and are in the process of being established, and very soon, the first semiconductor plant will begin commercial production."
"Pax Silica is a declaration that the future belongs to those who build and when free people join forces," Helberg said.
The move comes amid efforts by the two sides to finalise a proposed trade deal and move forward on several other initiatives to solidify bilateral ties after a spell of severe strain in relations following the US imposition of a 50% tariff on Indian imports. That tariff was recently lowered to 18%.
The Pax Silica Summit was held in Washington on 12 December last year, where partner nations signed the Pax Silica declaration.
The declaration lays out a shared vision of deep economic and technology cooperation across supply chains from raw materials through semiconductors and AI infrastructure, and a commitment to mutual prosperity and security.
