Quick Read
- India formally joined the US-led Pax Silica initiative on February 20, 2026, at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi.
- The initiative aims to build secure supply chains for critical minerals and artificial intelligence, reducing reliance on China.
- India’s participation is expected to significantly benefit its electronics and semiconductor industry and align with its National Critical Mineral Mission.
- Pax Silica was launched in December 2025 and includes partners like Australia, Japan, and the UK.
- The alliance seeks to prevent supply chain disruptions and create a ‘trusted’ alternative to China’s dominance in rare earth elements.
NEW DELHI (Azat TV) – India on Friday formally signed the Pax Silica declaration, marking its entry into the U.S.-led strategic alliance aimed at fortifying secure and resilient supply chains for critical minerals and artificial intelligence. The declaration, signed at the ongoing India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, underscores a significant geopolitical realignment designed to reduce global dependence on single-source suppliers and bolster India’s burgeoning technology sector, particularly in semiconductors.
The initiative, which seeks to establish a global framework for technological cooperation and secure access to resources vital for next-generation industries, represents a crucial step for India in diversifying its supply chains. Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw, emphasized the benefits for India’s electronics and semiconductor industry, noting that ten plants are already established or in the process of being established in the country, with the first semiconductor plant soon to begin commercial production. US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, described India’s participation as “strategic and essential,” highlighting the nation’s engineering talent and progress in mineral processing as key contributions to the alliance.
India’s Strategic Alignment and Economic Impact
India’s accession to Pax Silica is poised to provide substantial advantages, particularly in reducing its heavy reliance on China for rare earth imports, which currently account for approximately 93 percent of India’s needs. This strategic partnership aligns closely with India’s National Critical Mineral Mission and the India Semiconductor Mission, both of which aim to enhance domestic production capabilities and foster technological self-reliance. By joining the alliance, India anticipates facilitating partnerships with leading technology nations such as Japan and the Netherlands, particularly in advanced mineral processing and chip manufacturing.
Minister Vaishnaw stated that Pax Silica would be ‘crucial’ for the emerging complete ecosystem in India, directly benefiting the nation’s youth. Ambassador Gor further noted that the partnership aims to advance trusted AI globally, asserting that ‘peace comes through strength’ in the context of technological stability and economic order. This collaboration is seen as a strategic coalition between India and the United States, designed to shape the economic and technological landscape of the 21st century.
Understanding the Pax Silica Initiative
Pax Silica, a U.S.-led strategic alliance, was launched in December 2025 at the Pax Silica Summit in Washington. The name itself combines ‘Pax,’ Latin for peace, with ‘Silica,’ referring to the fundamental mineral used in computer chips and AI systems, symbolizing global stability through secure technology. Spearheaded by U.S. Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, the initiative aims to create a ‘trusted’ alternative to the current ecosystem, which is heavily influenced by China, especially in rare earth element processing.
The declaration outlines a shared vision among partner nations for deeper economic and technological cooperation across the entire supply chain, from raw materials to semiconductors and AI infrastructure. Key pillars of Pax Silica include creating a durable economic framework to drive AI-powered growth among its members. Besides India, the alliance includes Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom, forming a diverse group committed to mutual prosperity and security.
Countering Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
A primary objective of the Pax Silica alliance is to prevent supply chain disruptions, such as those experienced during recent geopolitical crises or potential ‘weaponization’ of critical minerals. The initiative covers the entire technology lifecycle, encompassing mineral extraction and refining, semiconductor fabrication, software platforms, and frontier AI models. By diversifying sources and strengthening collaborative frameworks, Pax Silica seeks to build resilient supply chains that can withstand future shocks and ensure stable access to essential resources for all partner nations.
The move to invite India, announced by Ambassador Gor last month, underscores the importance of India’s vast talent pool and largely untapped mineral resources in this global effort. The alliance marks a significant shift from the 20th-century reliance on oil and steel to an economy increasingly powered by silicon and critical minerals, positioning Pax Silica as a cornerstone of future global economic and technological stability.
India’s formal entry into Pax Silica signifies a strategic pivot in global technology governance, aiming to rebalance critical supply chains and foster a more diversified and secure foundation for the future of artificial intelligence and semiconductor industries.