India Joins Pax Silica Alliance to Strengthen Global Semiconductor Supply Chain

India has formally joined Pax Sillica, a US-led global coalition designed to secure the silicon supply chain from raw mineral extraction to advanced artificial intelligence deployment. The agreement was signed during the India AI Impact Summit 2026, marking a significant step in India’s long-term technology and semiconductor strategy.

The pact was formalised by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and US envoy Sergio Gor, signalling India’s growing role in global technology geopolitics and its ambition to become a key player in the semiconductor and AI ecosystem.

What Pax Sillica aims to achieve

Pax Silica derives its name from silica, the base material refined into silicon — the foundation of semiconductors and modern electronics. The alliance seeks to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce dependency on single-country dominance in critical technology materials.

Launched in December 2025, the coalition emerged in response to pandemic-era supply disruptions, export restrictions on key minerals, and increasing concerns about technological dependency as a national security risk.

Founding members include the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Israel, the Netherlands, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. India becomes the twelfth member, contributing scale, talent, and a vast digital ecosystem.

Securing critical minerals and refining capacity

One major focus of the alliance is diversifying the mining and processing of rare earth elements and semiconductor materials such as gallium and germanium. China currently dominates global refining of these materials.

Pax Silica promotes joint ventures and sourcing alternatives to ensure supply stability. India is pursuing mineral partnerships in countries such as Argentina and Chile, aiming to strengthen its access to critical resources and reduce supply risks.

Strengthening semiconductor manufacturing

The second pillar focuses on semiconductor fabrication and advanced manufacturing. The alliance integrates advanced lithography tools, ultra-pure chemicals, and co-funded fabrication plants across member nations.

For India, membership could improve access to advanced chipmaking equipment and fabrication technologies while supporting domestic semiconductor projects, including manufacturing and packaging facilities supported under the India Semiconductor Mission.

India currently imports around 95 percent of its semiconductor needs, making supply chain diversification a strategic priority.

Compute infrastructure and AI development

Another key area is building trusted compute infrastructure. AI development requires large-scale computing power, data centers, and reliable energy supply.

India contributes through sovereign GPU clusters, a large engineering workforce, and one of the world’s largest digital user bases. The country’s indigenous AI models and language technologies are expected to play a major role in future AI deployment frameworks.

Strategic implications and challenges

Membership in Pax Silica could help India attract foreign investment, expand semiconductor production, and position itself as a processing hub for critical minerals. Industry projections suggest semiconductor output targets of $100 billion by 2030 may become achievable with allied support.

However, challenges remain. China continues to invest heavily in semiconductor self-sufficiency and mineral supply chains. India also faces infrastructure, environmental, and capital requirements to scale refining capacity.

A strategic shift in technology positioning

By joining Pax Silica, India has signalled its intent to shape the future technology order rather than remain dependent on external supply chains.

The alliance offers India access to collaborative innovation, supply resilience, and strategic partnerships. How effectively India leverages this opportunity will play a decisive role in determining its technological and economic trajectory in the coming decades.