India and US Sign Pax Silica Declaration at AI Impact Summit, Stress Economic Security

India and the United States signed the Pax Silica Declaration on Friday, marking a new phase of cooperation in artificial intelligence, critical technologies, and economic security, during a signing ceremony held in the national capital.

Speaking at the India AI Impact Forum, Jacob Helberg, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, said the declaration represents a long-term strategic roadmap between the two countries. “It’s a profound honour to be here in Delhi at the India AI Impact Forum to mark a historic milestone in the partnership between the United States and India,” Helberg said. “Today we signed the Pax Silica Declaration, a document that’s not merely an agreement on paper, but a roadmap for a shared future,” he added.

‘Economic security is national security’

Highlighting the strategic intent behind the declaration, Helberg said the agreement reflects a shared approach to technology governance, supply chain resilience, and economic independence in an increasingly AI-driven global landscape.

“Today, as we sign the Pax Silica Declaration, we say no to weaponised dependency, and we say no to blackmail,” he said.

“And together, we say that economic security is national security,” Helberg added.

The Pax Silica Declaration is expected to guide future collaboration between India and the United States in areas linked to artificial intelligence, critical infrastructure, and emerging technologies, with an emphasis on secure and trusted partnerships.

Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, said following the announcement, “We have a large talent pool and we have conducted our foreign policy in a way which creates that trust and as a part of that today the Pax Silica was signed which is very important for semiconductor supply chain, semiconductor manufacturing, chip design for getting that entire semiconductor ecosystem well established in our country.” He also added that 10 plants are in the process of being established in India, and very soon, the first semiconductor plant will start commercial production. "A complete ecosystem is emerging in India, and for that, the Pax Silica will be of great importance, and it will benefit the youth of India," he further said.

What is the Pax Silica Declaration? 

The Pax Silica Declaration, named for the Latin word for "peace" and the silicon that powers the modern age, is a U.S.-led strategic framework designed to insulate the global technology supply chain from political coercion and "weaponized dependency." Launched in December 2025, the initiative seeks to align "trusted" nations across every layer of the digital economy, from the mining of critical minerals to the manufacturing of advanced semiconductors and the deployment of AI infrastructure. With India’s formal entry, the alliance expands to 11 members, joining the original seven signatories, the United States, Japan, South Korea, the UK, Australia, Singapore, and Israel, alongside later entrants Qatar, the UAE, and Greece. By uniting these nations, the declaration aims to build a "Silicon Shield" that ensures the high-tech backbone of the 21st century remains secure, resilient, and under the control of democratic partners rather than non-aligned or adversarial states.

With inputs from ANI

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