Qatar and the United Arab Emirates earlier this week signed the Pax Silica Declaration, a US-led and non-binding initiative aimed at building secure and reliable supply chains for technologies that power artificial intelligence. These include critical minerals, energy, semiconductors, computing infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.
The initiative was launched under the second Trump administration as a strategic effort to bring together trusted allies and partners in key technology areas. Its core objective is to reduce over-dependence on US adversaries such as China, especially in sensitive sectors like AI chips and semiconductor manufacturing, and to ensure that strategically important nations remain aligned within a US-led technology ecosystem.
So far, the declaration has been signed by Australia, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and the United Kingdom, along with the UAE and Qatar. India is expected to join the declaration next month, according to the US State Department.
The entry of the UAE and Qatar—and India’s likely participation—could significantly reshape how technology cooperation unfolds across Asia, the Middle East, and the West.
A stronger bridge between regions
The Gulf states bring major advantages to the table. They have large sovereign wealth funds, abundant and reliable energy supplies needed to power energy-hungry AI data centres, and ambitious plans to invest heavily in AI infrastructure. Their participation adds geographic diversity to the coalition and creates a natural bridge between the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East.
For India, this opens the door to deeper cooperation with the US and Gulf nations through trilateral or multilateral projects. These could include joint efforts in critical minerals processing, clean and reliable energy for computing, or AI research and development—areas where India’s strengths in software, skilled talent, and emerging manufacturing can play a central role.
Access to Gulf capital and infrastructure
The UAE and Qatar are positioning themselves as global AI hubs, with large investments in data centres, advanced chips, and digital infrastructure. By joining Pax Silica, they align more closely with US-trusted technology ecosystems. This could create new opportunities for Indian companies to partner in Gulf-based AI projects, supply chain initiatives, or co-investments.
Indian firms could contribute to, and benefit from, secure semiconductor logistics, critical mineral refining, and energy-efficient AI infrastructure in the region, strengthening India’s role in global technology value chains.
More resilient supply chains
With Gulf energy producers now part of the coalition, India stands to benefit from more diversified and reliable sources of key inputs needed for AI and semiconductor manufacturing, such as processed minerals and stable power supplies. This reduces the risk of supply disruptions and overreliance on any single country. As India builds its own semiconductor ecosystem through government incentives and production-linked schemes, closer alignment with Pax Silica partners—including energy- and logistics-rich Gulf nations—is expected to help create stronger end-to-end supply chains. This is expected to counter China's influence in Asia and beyond, including through initiatives like the Digital Silk Road.
Talent and jobs advantage
Gulf countries are expected to generate millions of high-skilled jobs in AI and technology by 2030, many of which match the expertise of Indian IT and AI professionals. Pax Silica’s emphasis on trusted partnerships could make talent movement smoother within this US-aligned ecosystem.
This positions India as a key talent supplier, boosting remittances, improving skills, and even encouraging reverse brain drain as professionals gain experience in advanced AI environments.
A bigger role for India
The sudden entry of the UAE and Qatar shows that Pax Silica is gaining momentum in the Middle East. India’s expected entry would make the initiative truly cross-regional, spanning Asia, the Middle East, and the West—a broad “silicon age” consensus. By bridging the Indo-Pacific with the Middle East, Pax Silica would elevate India's strategic position in a cross-regional coalition.
For India, this elevates its standing in US-led technology diplomacy and could unlock deeper cooperation on export controls, standards for trustworthy AI, and joint research. At the same time, it supports India’s own goals of technological leadership and strategic self-reliance in the age of artificial intelligence.
