India on Friday formally joined 'Pax Silica', a United States-led strategic initiative aimed at strengthening resilient supply chains for critical minerals and artificial intelligence. The declaration was signed during the ongoing India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, marking a significant step in expanding economic and technological cooperation between the two countries, reported India Today.
The framework focuses on building secure and innovation-driven supply networks essential for next-generation industries, particularly semiconductors and AI infrastructure.
Strengthening supply chains and technology cooperation
The initiative seeks to ensure reliable access to critical resources while promoting collaboration among trusted partners. India's participation comes as New Delhi and Washington work towards finalising a broader trade agreement and deepening bilateral ties after a period of diplomatic strain.
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Speaking after signing the pact, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted its potential impact on India's technology ecosystem.
"India has become a part of the Pax Silica. This will greatly benefit India's electronics and semiconductor industry. 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. A complete ecosystem is emerging in India. Pax Silica will be crucial for this, and the youth of India will benefit from it," he was quoted as saying by India Today.
#WATCH | Delhi: Pax Silica Declaration signed between India and the US, in the presence of Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology and Jacob Helberg, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs pic.twitter.com/QyHkM2pebY
— ANI (@ANI) February 20, 2026
Strategic partnership and trade momentum
US Ambassador Sergio Gor described the initiative as a strategic coalition shaping future economic and technological systems. He said India's participation was "strategic and essential", citing its engineering talent and growing role in mineral processing and technology cooperation.
Addressing the proposed trade agreement between the two nations, Gor added, "The signing will happen very soon."
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"In fact, even this week, we have both teams talking to each other and actively getting to a place where both will be able to sign. But the reality is there are tens of thousands of ways that we're not dealing with a small country. This is one of the biggest economies. And so we're thrilled that the interim deal is done. You have a few tweaking points that are left to do, but it's done. So the signing will happen sooner than later," he said.
What is Pax Silica?
Launched in Washington last December, Pax Silica brings together countries including Australia, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. The alliance aims to create a durable economic framework supporting AI-driven growth by securing supply chains, from raw materials to semiconductor manufacturing, while promoting shared prosperity and technological security.
