In News:

India has joined the U.S.-led Pax Silica initiative (2025) to strengthen resilient supply chains in critical minerals, semiconductors, electronics, and AI technologies.

India Joins Pax Silica

India has signed the Pax Silica Declaration and joined the U.S.-led global initiative aimed at building secure and diversified supply chains for emerging technologies and critical minerals.

The initiative is spearheaded by the United States Department of State.

What is Pax Silica?

Pax Silica is a strategic international framework designed to promote:

• Resilient supply chains for critical minerals
• Secure semiconductor and electronics ecosystems
• Collaboration in Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies
• Trusted and diversified global technology networks

It emerged in response to rising concerns over supply chain concentration, particularly in rare-earth processing and advanced semiconductor manufacturing.

Background

• Conceptualised amid growing geopolitical tensions over critical technology supply chains
• Inaugural Summit: December 2025
• Venue: Washington D.C.

Objectives

• Diversify and secure global supply chains for:
  • Critical minerals
  • Semiconductors
  • AI-related technologies
• Reduce dependence on concentrated or monopolistic supply sources
• Deepen strategic and economic partnerships among like-minded countries
• Strengthen technology governance and economic security frameworks

Key Features

1. Supply Chain Security

• Diversification of sourcing and processing
• Reduced vulnerability to coercive economic practices

2. Critical Minerals Cooperation

• Coordinated refining and processing networks
• Access to rare-earth and strategic minerals essential for electronics and AI

3. AI & Semiconductor Collaboration

• Cooperation in AI systems and data infrastructure
• Development of advanced manufacturing ecosystems

4. Investment & Infrastructure

• Shared investments in trusted industrial ecosystems
• Incentives for innovation and supply chain resilience

5. Fair Market & Security Framework

• Address non-market practices and unfair dumping
• Protect critical infrastructure and sensitive technologies

6. Private Sector Participation

• Mobilises industry and innovation ecosystems
• Encourages entrepreneurship in advanced technology sectors

Participating Countries

• Signatories: Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, UAE, United Kingdom and India.
• Non-signatory Participants: Canada, European Union, Netherlands, OECD, and Taiwan

Significance for India

• Enhances India’s role in trusted technology supply chains
• Supports India’s ambitions in semiconductor manufacturing and AI development
• Strengthens cooperation in critical mineral sourcing and processing
• Aligns with India’s push for resilient and diversified global economic architecture

In News:

India’s absence from the U.S.-led Pax Silica Initiative has triggered political debate domestically. The issue gained attention after remarks by opposition leaders questioning India’s exclusion from the grouping, which is aimed at securing high-technology supply chains.

What is the Pax Silica Initiative?

• Pax Silica is a United States–led strategic framework designed to build a secure, resilient, and innovation-driven silicon supply chain.
• The term combines “pax” (Latin for peace and stability) with “silica,” the raw material refined into silicon, which is foundational for semiconductors and AI hardware.
• The initiative focuses on strengthening cooperation among trusted partners across the entire technology value chain  fromcritical minerals and energy inputs to chip manufacturing, AI infrastructure, and logistics networks.
• Its broader objective is to reduce coercive dependencies, particularly in sensitive technology sectors, and to ensure that partner nations can develop and deploy advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence at scale.

Member Countries

• The current participants in Pax Silica include:United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Israel, United Arab Emirates and Australia
• Notably, India is not currently part of the initiative, even though several member countries are key Indo-Pacific technology and security partners.

Areas of Cooperation

Member nations have affirmed cooperation in multiple strategic sectors:

• Securing critical minerals required for semiconductor production
• Semiconductor design, fabrication, and advanced packaging
• Strengthening logistics and transportation networks for tech supply chains
• Expanding compute capacity and AI infrastructure
• Ensuring reliable energy grids and power generation for digital ecosystems
• Developing trusted ICT networks, data centres, fibre-optic connectivity, and AI models
• Encouraging joint ventures and co-investment in emerging technology sectors
• Protecting sensitive technologies and infrastructure from access by countries considered strategic risks

Strategic Significance

Pax Silica reflects the growing geopolitical importance of semiconductor and AI supply chains, which are now seen as central to economic security and national power. The initiative is part of a broader trend where technology alliances are being shaped to reduce overdependence on any single country in high-tech manufacturing.

The grouping also complements other emerging frameworks that aim to create trusted technology ecosystems among like-minded nations.