India on Friday signed the declaration to join ‘Pax Silica’, a US-led strategic alliance focused on building resilient supply chains for critical minerals and artificial intelligence, while reducing global dependence on China for rare earth elements.
The declaration was signed during the ongoing India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, marking India’s formal entry into a framework designed to create a secure, innovation-driven ecosystem spanning minerals, semiconductors and AI technologies.
The initiative aims to strengthen technological cooperation among partner countries and ensure reliable access to key resources essential for next-generation industries.
The move comes at a time when New Delhi and Washington are working to finalise a proposed trade agreement and deepen bilateral ties after a period of strain in relations.
As per reports, after signing the pact, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (IT) Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted its importance for India’s growing technology sector.
“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,” Vaishnaw said.
According to India Today, US Ambassador Sergio Gor described the alliance as a strategic partnership between India and the United States aimed at shaping the economic and technological order of the 21st century.
He said India’s participation was “strategic and essential”, pointing to the country’s strong engineering talent, progress in mineral processing, and expanding role in US-India technology cooperation.
The partnership, he said, seeks to promote trusted AI worldwide and is guided by the belief that “peace comes through strength.” On the trade deal that both countries have already finalised, Gor said, “The signing will happen very soon”.
“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,” Gor said.
What Is Pax Silica and Its Strategic Focus
Pax Silica was launched in December last year at a summit in Washington. Partner nations include Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
The declaration outlines a shared vision for deeper economic and technological cooperation across the entire supply chain, from raw materials and mineral refining to semiconductor manufacturing and AI infrastructure.
It also commits member countries to mutual prosperity and security, with a strong emphasis on creating a durable economic framework to support AI-driven growth.
Last month, Ambassador Gor had formally invited New Delhi to join the alliance, underlining the strategic importance of India’s participation.
Pax Silica represents a shift in global economic focus from the oil- and steel-driven industrial model of the 20th century to an economy powered by silicon and critical minerals.
The term “Pax” is derived from the Latin word for peace, symbolising a vision of global stability built on secure and trusted technology. “Silica” refers to the mineral that forms the basic building block of computer chips and artificial intelligence systems.
The alliance, spearheaded by US Under Secretary for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg, aims to create a trusted alternative to the existing ecosystem, which is largely dominated by China. One of its central goals is to reduce global dependence on China, which currently controls a significant share of rare earth element processing.
The alliance also seeks to prevent supply chain disruptions, such as those experienced by the automobile industry during geopolitical tensions or due to the potential weaponisation of critical minerals. Its scope covers the full technology lifecycle, from mineral extraction and refining to semiconductor fabrication, software platforms and advanced AI models.
Why the Alliance Is Crucial for India
India is considered a key partner in Pax Silica because of its vast pool of technical talent and largely untapped mineral resources. Joining the initiative could help India reduce its heavy reliance on China, which currently supplies about 93 per cent of its rare earth imports.
The partnership is also expected to open avenues for collaboration with technology leaders such as Japan and the Netherlands in advanced mineral processing and semiconductor manufacturing.
The initiative aligns closely with India’s National Critical Mineral Mission and the India Semiconductor Mission, both of which aim to strengthen domestic production, enhance technological capability, and promote greater self-reliance in strategic sectors.
