India Joins America’s Pax Silica Initiative
India-West News Desk
NEW DELHI — India officially entered the Pax Silica initiative on February 20, marking a significant expansion of its technological alliance with the United States during a special event at the AI Impact Summit. By signing the Pax Silica Declaration and a bilateral addendum titled the India-U.S. AI Opportunity Partnership, both nations have committed to a shared framework for securing the foundational components of the artificial intelligence era.
The Pax Silica initiative is a United States-led strategic alliance launched in December 2025 to secure the global supply chains foundational to the artificial intelligence era. The name is derived from “Pax” (Latin for peace and stability) and “Silica” (referring to silicon, the primary element in semiconductors).
The signing ceremony involved high-ranking officials from both governments, including S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology; Sergio Gor, U.S. Ambassador to India; and Jacob Helberg, U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment. The proceedings were overseen by Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, and Michael Kratsios, Director of the U.S. Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Vaishnaw addressed the summit, pointing to the immense potential for the two countries to collaborate on supply chain security. He noted that the Pax Silica framework would serve to deepen engagement on critical technologies and supply chain resilience, reinforcing the existing Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership between the nations.
Gor described India’s inclusion in the initiative as both strategic and essential, citing India’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities as indispensable strengths. He further noted that India’s growing capacity in critical mineral processing and its reputation as a trusted partner add significant value to the coalition.
Following the formal signing, a fireside chat was held to discuss the practical implications of the partnership. The panel featured the signatories alongside industry leaders, including Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra and Tata Electronics CEO Dr. Randhir Thakur. The discussion focused on the core mission of Pax Silica, which is to establish secure and innovation-driven supply chains for silicon and the critical minerals that support semiconductors and advanced computing systems.
The bilateral Joint Statement on the AI Opportunity Partnership outlines several specific goals, including the promotion of pro-innovation regulatory environments and the strengthening of the physical AI stack. The two nations intend to support AI developers and startups, explore joint research and development projects, and facilitate private sector investment in next-generation data centers. Additionally, the partnership aims to improve access to high-performance compute resources and accelerate the development of advanced AI models.
Technology cooperation has long been a central pillar of the relationship between India and the United States. By joining Pax Silica, India has taken a significant step toward ensuring its role in a future-ready, trusted global supply chain for emerging technologies.
