Indias inclusion in Pax Silica reflects strategic trust: MeitY Secretary

In a significant development, India's Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, S Krishnan, has declared that the nation's inclusion in the US-led Pax Silica initiative underscores its growing stature as a reliable partner in critical technology supply chains. This announcement comes as IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw heads to Washington for discussions on essential minerals, emphasizing India's strategic role in global tech dialogues. Krishnan expressed that India's participation at this level is crucial, particularly regarding the supply chain of critical minerals. He noted, "It's important for a country like India to be part of that, and I think it's a recognition of the trust." Recently, U.S. Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, confirmed that India will be invited next month to join Pax Silica, which aims to secure vital supply chains related to silicon, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. At an event hosted by industry body Nasscom, Krishnan articulated India's ambition to emerge as a global hub for artificial intelligence (AI). He highlighted the government's balanced approach to fostering international collaboration while also building its own AI capabilities. With the IndiaAI Impact Summit approaching, Krishnan outlined a comprehensive strategy for AI development, focusing on open access to technology while avoiding reliance on a single vendor. Addressing concerns over the concentration of AI infrastructure among a few companies, especially in chip manufacturing, he stated, "We are not going to necessarily say that we will buy only NVIDIA GPUs. Our approach is whoever produces the chips." This strategy aims to prevent vendor lock-in and promote a more inclusive tech ecosystem. Krishnan also referenced recent breakthroughs like DeepSeek, which suggest that advancements in AI do not need to be prohibitively expensive. He remarked, "DeepSeek was a moment where something broke through, and suddenly you realize that it need not cost as much as they say it would cost." The Prime Minister's recent engagement with twelve startups as part of the India AI Mission reflects the government's commitment to indigenous AI development. Krishnan noted India's unique position lies in its dedication to being an open system, allowing access to the latest technologies regardless of origin. He emphasized that India's push for sovereign AI capabilities aligns with global interests, providing additional options in the technology landscape. "You are assuring the world that there is one more production line, one more option available for many countries in the world to use," he stated. Krishnan highlighted the importance of democratizing AI, not just in terms of models and computing power, but also through practical applications that can generate revenue, likening this moment to the transformative phase of India's IT industry. As India seeks to position itself as a global leader in AI use cases, the Secretary pointed out that significant investments from major tech players like Google, Microsoft, and AWS in India, totaling around USD 70 billion, play a crucial role in building a robust AI infrastructure. Looking ahead, the government is also focusing on establishing sovereign cloud capacity for AI, aimed at government use and select users, with several firms already providing such solutions. With 20% of the global semiconductor design workforce based in India, Krishnan expressed optimism about the potential to convert this talent into domestic intellectual property, enhancing India's technological independence. In closing, Krishnan revealed that ongoing initiatives under the India Semiconductor Mission are generating export orders, indicating a successful industrial policy. As the government prepares for ISM 2.0, currently in its final development stages, India's strategic advancements in technology and AI are poised to reshape its role on the global stage.