US Keeps India Out Of Pax Silica Meet: What Does This Mean For Delhi-Washington Ties? | India News

India and the US are at odds over tariffs and trade deal negotiations. Besides this, the ongoing struggle for critical minerals has also opened many fronts where world powers compete for some of the resources largely controlled by China. Last week, the United States announced the establishment of Pax Silic, a US-led strategic initiative to create a secure, prosperous and innovation-driven silicon supply chain, from critical minerals and energy inputs to advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI infrastructure and logistics. Pax Silica aims to establish a resilient economic order among partner countries that underpins an era of AI-driven prosperity, the US government said in a statement.

The grouping included Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Australia, as well as guest contributions from Taiwan, the European Union, Canada and the OECD, leaving India out of the league. This led to a scathing attack by the Indian National Congress against the Narendra Modi government.

The Congress party blamed Prime Minister Modi for the ‘drastic decline’ in its relations with US President Donald Trump. “Given the sharp decline in Trump-Modi relations since May 10, 2025, India’s omission is perhaps not too surprising. Undoubtedly, it would have been to our advantage if we were part of this group. This news comes a day after the Prime Minister enthusiastically broadcast his phone conversation with his one-time close friend and recipient of many hugs in Ahmedabad, Houston and Washington DC,” Jairam Ramesh said.

What are the Purposes of Pax Silica?

Pax Silica aims to reduce coercive dependencies, protect the materials and capabilities that underpin AI, and enable compatible nations to develop and apply transformative technologies at scale.

Why Pax Silica?

The US government said the partners are home to some of the most important companies and investors powering the global AI supply chain, so they will work to improve their supply chains.

“A clear consensus has emerged among the United States and its partners: secure supply chains, reliable technology, and strategic infrastructure are indispensable for national strength and economic growth,” the US government said.

The initiative answers these questions:

* Increasing demand from partners to deepen economic and technological cooperation with the United States.
* The understanding that artificial intelligence represents a transformative force for our long-term well-being.
* Recognition that reliable systems are necessary to protect our mutual security and prosperity.
* Increased risks from compulsive addictions.
* The importance of fair market practices and policy coordination in protecting sensitive technologies and critical infrastructure.

Impact on India-US Ties

While the US has said the grouping is not about isolating others but coordinating with partners who want to remain competitive and prosperous, it clearly shows Washington’s bias towards India, the world’s fourth-largest economy.

The United States is aware that India requires critical minerals for various strategic projects and that China is undermining New Delhi’s ambitions in this area. Despite this, Washington excluded India from the grouping. One of the key factors behind the decision appears to be India’s hesitation to open its agricultural sector to US interests amid ongoing trade negotiations. But this could be a strategic misstep, just like Donald Trump’s tariffs.

India has positioned itself as a key pillar of the US’s Indo-Pacific strategy, particularly in balancing China’s dominance of supply chains, technology and critical minerals. Leaving India out of Pax Silica undermines the narrative that India is a reliable, indispensable partner in building resilient, China-independent ecosystems. For New Delhi, the move reinforces the perception that Washington’s partnerships are conditional and subject to commercial pressure.

Pax Silica is expressly designed to reduce dependence on China in minerals, semiconductors and AI infrastructure. India is one of the few countries with the scale, workforce and geopolitical motivation to support this goal. Keeping India out of the framework risks slowing diversification efforts and could inadvertently strengthen China’s influence if alternative supply chains do not reach scale quickly.

Initiatives like the Quad are based on common strategic goals rather than narrow economic alignment. If India perceives Pax Silica as a closed club rather than an overarching strategic platform, it may be more wary of US-led frameworks in the future and reduce momentum for collective action on technology, climate and security. This move by the US could undermine both the credibility of the project and the durability of Indo-US ties at a critical moment in global power competition.