India's inclusion in Pax Silica hailed as a milestone for US ties

US Under Secretary of State Jacob Helberg hailed India's pending entry into Pax Silica as a historic milestone for the US-India partnership, marking a decisive shift toward building reliable and secure silicon and technology supply chains.

US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg highlighted India's likely inclusion in Pax Silica, calling it a key step towards building "reliable and secure supply chains" and describing it as a milestone for the US-India partnership.

Mentioning the development in a post on X, Helberg wrote, "New Delhi will be invited to the table as we operationalize Pax Silica. India's pending entry into Pax Silica marks a decisive shift toward reliable and secure supply chains. A historic milestone for the U.S.-India partnership. The work to harden our supply chains and secure our economic future starts now. Great work, Ambassador Gor."

Helberg's remarks came after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, on Monday, noted that India would be invited to join Pax Silica, a US-led strategic initiative aimed at strengthening a secure and resilient silicon supply chain, during his visit to New Delhi. In his post on X, Gor wrote, "Pleased to share that India will be invited to join Pax Silica, a U.S.-led strategic initiative to build a secure, resilient, and innovation-driven silicon supply chain. As the world adopts new technology, it is essential that India and the United States work hand-in-hand together."

Strategic Significance of the Move

The development assumes significance as India was excluded from the US-led 'Pax Silica' initiative at the inaugural Pax Silica Summit in 2025, triggering sharp political criticism. Pax Silica aims to reduce China's dominance and counter coercive dependencies across critical minerals, energy inputs, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, AI infrastructure, and logistics.

Current Members of Pax Silica are US, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Israel, UAE and Australia. India's inclusion is expected to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing and position the country as an alternative production hub. Experts note that India could join Pax Silica at a later stage, similar to its participation in the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP).

Understanding the Pax Silica Initiative

Pax Silica is a key US State Department initiative focused on artificial intelligence (AI) and supply chain security, aimed at encouraging allies and trusted partners to coordinate on secure and reliable technology and economic systems. In line with this focus, the initiative seeks to develop a common framework among trusted nations to build future AI and advanced technology ecosystems, covering the full technology supply chain, from energy requirements and critical minerals to high-end manufacturing, chip production, and AI model development.

Long-Term Goals and AI Focus

In the longer term, Pax Silica aims to bring together countries with strong capabilities in strategic technology sectors. Supporters argue that such coordination could help countries harness the economic potential of AI and position them to benefit from the emerging AI-driven economy.

Reflecting this broader ambition, the Pax Silica Declaration states, "We recognise that the technological revolution in AI is accelerating, increasingly reorganising the world economy, and reshaping global supply chains,". The declaration further notes that the rapid expansion of AI is driving unprecedented demand for the resources and infrastructure required to sustain advanced computing. This includes energy generation, critical minerals, high-tech manufacturing and hardware such as semiconductors and electronics, as well as new infrastructure and markets that may evolve alongside AI adoption.

Curbing Coercive Dependencies

A central objective of the initiative is to curb coercive dependencies by reducing over-reliance on any single country for critical technologies, materials or products, thereby limiting vulnerability to pressure or manipulation in global trade. It also seeks to strengthen trusted digital infrastructure and ensure advanced technologies remain protected from theft and misuse. (ANI)

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