Pax-Silica Initiative

Why in the News?

Recently, Pax Silica, a U.S.-led strategic initiative launched to secure the entire global silicon and AI supply chain-from critical mineral refining to advanced semiconductor fabrication and data infrastructure- aiming to reduce “coercive dependencies” on China.
China currently dominates the critical minerals segment underpinning the silicon and AI ecosystem, refining over 60% of lithium, cobalt, and rare earths; consequently, global diversification efforts have intensified following China’s restrictions on rare earth magnets, which disrupted supply chains

1. Key Highlights of Pax-Silica Initiative

Origin & Meaning:
- Pax (Latin): Peace, stability, or order (similar to Pax Romana).
- Silica: Refers to silicon, the fundamental material for semiconductors and AI hardware.
Led by: The United States (specifically via the U.S. State Department).
Founding Members (The “Initial 9”): USA, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Netherlands, The United Kingdom, Israel, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Australia.
India’s Status: India was not a founding member (initially excluded due to a nascent manufacturing base). However, as of January 2026, the U.S. has formally indicated that India will be invited to join the initiative to deepen strategic ties.

2. Core Objectives

De-risking from China: Reduce global dependence on a single country for critical minerals (lithium, cobalt) and rare earth processing.
Supply Chain Resilience: Secure the entire “Silicon Value Chain”-from raw mineral extraction and refining to chip design, fabrication (fabs), and packaging.
Trusted Ecosystems: Ensure that AI infrastructure (data centers, fiber-optic cables, and software) is built and managed by “trusted partners” to prevent espionage or sabotage.
Economic Security: Aligns with the principle that control over high-end compute and semiconductors is essential for modern military and economic power.

3. What are India’s key initiatives in semiconductors and AI?

IndiaAI Mission: Central government approved the comprehensive national-level IndiaAI mission with a budget outlay of Rs.10,371.92 crore.
National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM): It seeks to ensure India’s self-reliance in critical minerals essential for high-technology industries, clean energy transitions, and defence requirements.
Minerals Security Partnership (MSP): A U.S.-led initiative that seeks to strengthen critical mineral supply chains by promoting their responsible production, processing, and recycling to maximize economic development benefits.

Q. Consider the following statements regarding the ‘Pax Silica’ initiative:
1. It is a strategic alliance led by the United States to secure the end-to-end supply chain of silicon-based technologies and AI.
2. The initiative excludes critical mineral mining and focuses solely on advanced semiconductor fabrication and software.
3. While India was not among the founding members, it has recently been invited to join the group.
4. It is formally a subsidiary body under the World Semiconductor Council (WSC).

Which of the statements given above are correct? 
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 4 only
(d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only
Statement 1 is Correct: It is a U.S.-led framework for silicon and AI security.
Statement 2 is Incorrect: It is a "full-stack" initiative that includes critical minerals and energy inputs.
Statement 3 is Correct: India was excluded in December 2025 but received an official invitation in January 2026.
Statement 4 is Incorrect: It is a state-led diplomatic initiative by the U.S. State Department, not a subsidiary of the WSC (which is an industry body).