India joins 35-country US-led drive for trusted AI supply chains

India joined 34 other countries in a US-led AI supply chain initiative at the Pax Silica Summit. The move signals wider cooperation on chips, compute capacity and resilient technology networks.

In Short

• The pact backs trusted supply chains for chips, compute and AI infrastructure
• India joined delegates from 34 nations at Washington's second Pax Silica Summit
• US officials advocated lighter regulation and faster private investment for AI growth

Thirty-five countries, including India, have signed on to a US-led initiative to build trusted and resilient supply chains to support artificial intelligence technologies. The announcement was made at the second Pax Silica Summit in Washington on Thursday.

According to Jacob Helberg, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, the 35 countries signed the Joint Statement on AI Opportunity, backing what he described as a pro-growth and pro-innovation regulatory approach for the AI era. He said the initiative was about "a commitment to trusted supply chains, to mobilising the private sector, and the infrastructure that will power the next century".

Argentina, Germany, the Netherlands, Chile, Costa Rica, Greece, Kazakhstan, Panama and the European Union joined the Pax Silica initiative on the sidelines of the summit. India was represented by S Krishnan, Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Nagraj Naidu, Additional Secretary (Americas) in the Ministry of External Affairs, and representatives of Indian industry.

The Indian delegation held discussions with other governments and industry representatives on advancing collaboration in semiconductors, artificial intelligence and resilient technology supply chains. Helberg said, "The future of AI will not be determined by who regulates first. It will be determined by who builds first and builds the most capacity. More energy. More compute. More chips. More talent. More builders. A future where we accelerate innovation and private investment is welcomed." He also said, "Together, we aspire to build an AI future that serves our peoples, strengthens our economies, and empowers entrepreneurship, innovation, and the rule of law."

Helberg said the Pax Silica Initiative began in December last year with a handful of countries coming together, and that India joined it in February on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. The summit on Thursday saw the grouping expand further, with India among the 35 countries now aligned with the initiative on AI supply chains.

With PTI Inputs

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