India Joins US-led Global Alliance Pax Silica on AI, Supply Chain
20 Feb 2026 10:57 AM IST20 Feb 2026 10:57 AM IST
The signing ceremony was attended by Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and US Envoy Sergio Gor, marking a significant step in India’s engagement with global technology and economic security initiatives
Ahead of India-US signing of Pax Silica declaration, Google CEO and its parent company Alphabet Inc's Sundar Pichai also welcomed the pact, saying that US-India partnership has a critical role to play in making the benefits of AI available to everyone and everywhere. “Alongside the recent interim trade agreement, this will lay a strong foundation for a robust US India tech partnership for many years to come,” Pichai said. — Internet
New Delhi: India formally joined the US-led Pax Silica strategic technology and silicon supply chain initiative on Friday, underscoring expanding bilateral cooperation on advanced technologies including artificial intelligence and semiconductor supply chains. Pax Silica is a US-orchestrated effort to secure resilient technology supply chains across trusted partner nations.
Speaking to reporters after the signing on the sidelines of the Global AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor confirmed that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to visit India in the coming months. Gor also said the United States and India are in active discussions on the potential supply of Venezuelan crude oil to help diversify India’s energy imports away from Russian oil.
On the progress of a long-anticipated India-US trade deal, Gor indicated a final agreement will be signed “sooner than later,” with only “a few tweaking points” remaining. An interim trade pact agreed earlier is expected to take effect by April, with both sides aiming to formalise it by next month.
India has also confirmed that a team led by its chief trade negotiator will travel to the United States next week to continue discussions on the deal. The interim pact includes reduced tariffs and improved market access, reflecting efforts to reset relations after previous disagreements.
On Venezuelan oil, Gor said, “The Department of Energy is speaking to the Ministry of Energy here, and so we’re hoping to have some news of that very soon.” India had earlier expressed openness to buying Venezuelan crude depending on commercial considerations, and some Indian refiners have reportedly already placed orders.
The US envoy also highlighted the Quad framework, comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia, as an important element of ongoing strategic cooperation that Secretary Rubio is likely to address during his upcoming visit. Gor added that US President Donald Trump “would love to visit India soon,” though no date has yet been set.
In a joint statement accompanying the Pax Silica and AI partnership announcements, both governments said they share a vision of building trusted innovation ecosystems and emphasised pro-innovation regulatory environments that support AI development and economic security.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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