The United States has reiterated India’s importance as a strategic potential partner in safeguarding supply chains and advancing technology, despite New Delhi’s absence from the first Pax Silica Summit, a US-led effort aimed at securing the global semiconductor and silicon network.
Addressing speculation linking India’s non-participation to political tensions, Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg clarified that such assumptions were misplaced. He emphasized that discussions on trade agreements and supply chain security are distinct and parallel tracks, and Washington does not view them as interconnected.
Helberg underlined that India remains a valued prospective partner for initiatives related to supply chain resilience and that engagement with New Delhi is active. “We welcome opportunities to collaborate and strengthen our ties in this area,” he stated, highlighting ongoing conversations and near-daily communication with Indian counterparts.
The Pax Silica initiative, launched last week, initially includes countries pivotal to semiconductor and advanced technology supply chains, such as Singapore, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The framework aims to reduce vulnerabilities in global supply chains that support industries ranging from smartphones and automobiles to artificial intelligence.
Looking ahead, Helberg pointed out prospects for high-level engagement, including his attendance at the upcoming ‘India AI Impact Summit’ in February. He suggested that India’s participation in future Pax Silica-related efforts remains a tangible possibility as Washington explores ways to deepen bilateral collaboration on economic security.
He further explained that the initial selection of Pax Silica countries was intentionally limited to the core of semiconductor manufacturing, including Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Netherlands, before expanding to downstream areas such as critical minerals. The US remains committed to strengthening ties with India and fostering a collaborative approach to global supply chain security.
