US launches critical tech and minerals coalition, minus India

New Delhi: In a significant step, the US has launched Pax Silica, a US-led strategic initiative to build a secure, prosperous, and innovation driven silicon supply chain-from critical minerals and energy inputs to advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and logistics amid China's efforts to weaponise critical minerals and tech supply chains.

The inaugural Pax Silica Summit convenes counterparts from Japan, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Israel, the UAE, and Australia. Together, these countries are home to the most important companies and investors powering the global AI supply chain, according to the US State Department. However, India which is part of Quad critical minerals initiative and has critical technology partnership with the US interestingly is not part of this Pax Silica initiative. India-US-South Korea had also joined hands to form a critical technology partnership but that did not make any forward movement under the Trump administration. India, however, is putting in place bilateral critical technology partnerships with the UAE, Singapore and Japan among others.

Experts, who did not wish to be identified, said India still does not possess critical edge technology -- where Pax Silica wants to focus -- to be part of this grouping. Neither is India a repository of critical minerals.