7. Pax Silica: India Joins U.S.-Led Tech Alliance for Supply Chain Resilience

India has formally joined the \'Pax Silica\' group, a strategic technology alliance led by the United States. This partnership, which includes key global economies like Canada, Japan, South Korea, and the European Union, aims to de-risk global supply chains from Chinese dominance, particularly in the sectors of electronics, semiconductors, and critical minerals.• Strategic Objective: The primary goal of Pax Silica is to counter \'weaponized dependency\' by building a common, resilient supply chain for critical technologies and minerals to withstand economic coercion and geopolitical shocks. • Countering Concentration: The alliance seeks to rectify the \'massive overconcentration\' of supply chains in China, which currently holds significant leverage as a primary source for refined rare earth elements used in high-tech manufacturing. • India’s Value Proposition: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted India’s \'very large talent pool\' and its \'trust-based foreign policy\' as key contributions to the group, positioning India as a reliable alternative manufacturing and R&D hub. • Economic Sovereignty: The group emphasizes reclaiming sovereignty over essential supply chains, referencing past incidents of alleged sabotage (like the 2020 Mumbai blackout) and export bans as reasons to diversify away from singular, potentially hostile sources. • Critical Minerals Focus: Pax Silica will prioritize the secure flow of rare earth elements, essential for everything from smartphones and electric vehicle batteries to advanced defense systems. • Inaugural Framework: Formalized at the AI Impact Summit, this alliance builds on the foundational meeting held in December 2025 at the U.S. Institute of Peace, marking a shift toward \'minilateral\' tech diplomacy. Constitutional & Legal Provisions • Article 51 (Directive Principles): Mandates India to promote international peace and security. Joining tech-stability groups like Pax Silica aligns with fostering \'just and honorable relations\' between nations. • National Policy on Electronics (NPE) 2019: Aimed at positioning India as a global hub for Electronics System Design and Manufacturing (ESDM). This alliance provides the necessary international framework for this policy. • Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023: Recently amended to allow private sector participation in mining critical and deep-seated minerals (like Lithium), which is essential for India to fulfill its commitments under Pax Silica. • Information Technology Act, 2000: The legal backbone for cybersecurity in India, relevant given the alliance\'s focus on preventing digital sabotage and protecting economic infrastructure. Key Definitions • Pax Silica: A term derived from \'Pax\' (Peace) and \'Silica\' (Silicon), suggesting a global order stabilized by secure and democratic control over the semiconductor and electronics supply chain. • Critical Minerals: Naturally occurring elements (e.g., Lithium, Cobalt, Neodymium) that are essential for modern technology and have no viable substitutes, making their supply chain a matter of national security. • Rare Earth Elements (REEs): A group of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table that are crucial for high-tech applications, including magnets, lasers, and superconductors.• Weaponized Dependency: A state of economic vulnerability where a country uses its monopoly over a critical resource to blackmail or coerce other nations into making political concessions. Conclusion India’s entry into Pax Silica represents a significant milestone in its \'Tech-Diplomacy.\' By aligning with the U.S. and EU in a specialized supply-chain block, India is not only securing its own industrial future but also asserting itself as a \'Trusted Partner\' in the global digital economy. This move effectively complements India’s domestic \'Atmanirbhar Bharat\' and \'Make in India\' initiatives by integrating them into a wider, more secure international trade architecture. UPSC Relevance • GS Paper II (International Relations): Bilateral, regional, and global groupings involving India; Effect of policies of developed countries on India\'s interests. • GS Paper III (Economy & Science): Supply chain resilience; Semiconductor industry; Critical minerals; Indigenization of technology. • Internal Security: Protection of critical information infrastructure and energy grids from external sabotage.