‘Pax Silica’ invitation shows India’s rising influence in AI and critical minerals: IT Secretary S Krishnan

The invitation to join ‘Pax Silica’ and India’s participation in a critical minerals meet to be held in the US reflect New Delhi’s image as a trusted partner in key value chains, IT Secretary S Krishnan said on Monday.

Speaking at a pre-summit event hosted by Nasscom in the run-up to the upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026, Krishnan said that for the country to aspire to become the world’s capital for AI use cases is a “legitimate aim”.

This will also make AI available to a wide cross-section of users, he added.

Krishnan also alluded to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s ongoing visit to Washington to participate in a critical minerals meet hosted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

On India’s participation in the high-level meet and new US envoy Sergio Gor announcing an invitation to India for ‘Pax Silica’, Krishnan said: “It reflects the kind of trust that India is held in. It is a recognition of how India is seen as a reliable and trusted partner in important value chains”.

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India is “at the high table” so far, as all these important issues are concerned, Krishnan said.

“Fundamentally, it is about addressing the supply chain of critical minerals and critical materials, and it is important for a country like India to be a part of that. It is a recognition of the trust,” the IT Secretary said.