India joins US-led strategic alliance 'Pax Silica'
New Delhi (PTI): India on Friday joined a US-led strategic alliance -- 'Pax Silica' -- that is aimed at building a resilient supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence.
India signed a pact joining the coalition at a ceremony at the AI Impact Summit here.
The signing ceremony was attended by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and US envoy to India Sergio Gor among others.
Gor said Pax Silica is a coalition of capabilities.
"Pax Silica is a declaration that future belongs to those who build and when free people join forces," US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said.
The move comes amid efforts by the two sides to finalise the proposed trade deal and move forward on several other initiatives to solidify bilateral ties after a spell of severe strain in relations.
The Pax Silica initiative was launched in December last year to build a secure, resilient, and innovation-driven supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI).
The Pax Silica Summit was held in Washington on December 12 last year where partner nations signed the Pax Silica declaration.
The declaration lays out a shared vision of deep economic and technology cooperation across supply chains -- from raw materials through semiconductors and AI infrastructure -- and commitment to mutual prosperity and security.
The member nations of the Pax Silica included Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. Gor last month announced an invitation to New Delhi to join the strategic alliance. One of the key pillars of Pax Silica was to establish a durable economic order to drive AI-powered prosperity across partner nations.
"We recognise that a reliable supply chain is indispensable to our mutual economic security," according to the Pax Silica declaration.
"We also recognise that artificial intelligence (AI) represents a transformative force for our long-term prosperity and that trustworthy systems are essential to safeguarding our mutual security and prosperity," it said.
"We believe that economic value and growth will flow through and across all levels of the global AI supply chain, driving historic opportunity and demand for energy, critical minerals, manufacturing, technological hardware, infrastructure, and new markets not yet invented," it said.
STORY | India joins US-led strategic alliance 'Pax Silica'
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 20, 2026
India on Friday joined a US-led strategic alliance -- 'Pax Silica' -- that is aimed at building a resilient supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence. India signed a pact joining the coalition at a… https://t.co/8Fudx9VAtw
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
