'Sits uneasily with Trump's America First agenda': Geostrategist on Sergio Gor's Pax Silica invite to India

Geostrategist Brahma Chellaney said in a social media post on Wednesday that US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor's invite to New Delhi to join the US-led Pax Silica alliance would not sit well with President Donald Trump's 'America First' agenda.

Chellaney said that it is hard to see Pax Silica do well when its predecessor, Quad, failed. His take came days after Sergio Gor invited India to join the Pax Silica alliance, emphasising the significance of New Delhi's inclusion.

Gor had noted its role in advancing technological and manufacturing capabilities alongside members such as Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Israel, the UAE, and Australia.

"Second, multilateral collaboration sits uneasily with Trump’s aggressive “America First” agenda. If the Quad has proved incapable of advancing its core priorities — including on critical and emerging technologies — it is hard to see how Pax Silica can succeed where its predecessor has stalled," he wrote on X.

The geostrategist also called out Washington for not inviting India as a founding member when Pax Silica was launched. "That the State Department did not invite India as a founding member when Pax Silica was launched speaks volumes. It suggests that Washington no longer sees India as a strategic partner whose rise should be welcomed and encouraged."

Furthermore, he said that Pax Silica's objectives are deeply intertwined with that of the Quad's, which Trump has all but abandoned.

"Like the Quad, Pax Silica seeks to strengthen supply-chain resilience, particularly in silicon and semiconductor value chains, differing mainly in membership. Indeed, the Quad’s Critical Minerals Track was a direct precursor to Pax Silica’s focus on key inputs such as gallium and germanium needed for advanced chips."

About Pax Silica alliance

Named after the Latin word for peace, the alliance seeks to promote stability and long-term growth by protecting the silicon supply chain—from critical minerals and energy to advanced manufacturing, semiconductors, AI infrastructure, and logistics.

The US Department of State has described the initiative as a way to cut down on coercive dependencies and secure materials that are vital for artificial intelligence. The Pax Silica alliance allows member countries to develop and roll out advanced technologies at scale, helping them stay resilient amid global supply chain disruptions.

By joining the alliance, India is expected to strengthen its position in the global technology ecosystem and play a bigger role in innovation in artificial intelligence and semiconductors.