India’s Assurance on AI Technology Access Amid U.S. Concerns

The United States has provided assurances to India regarding the continuous access to artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, a statement made by a senior Indian bureaucrat on Thursday, June 25, 2026. S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, emphasized that New Delhi believes there is still a significant need for innovation in the AI sector and that it is premature to impose any regulations.

During interactions with the media at the two-day Pax Silica Summit, Mr. Krishnan noted concerns raised by the Americans about the potential applications of AI models like Anthropic and Mythos. These discussions were part of a broader dialogue regarding supply chain security in critical technology sectors.

Mr. Krishnan, alongside K. Nagraj Naidu, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, recently met with Jacob Helberg, the U.S. Under Secretary of State, who is leading the Pax Silica initiative aimed at developing alternative supply chains for critical minerals and rare earth elements, an area notably influenced by China’s dominance.

Concerns Over AI Utilization

Addressing the American concerns, Mr. Krishnan explained, “The concern revolves around how these AI models might be utilized and their potential consequences. They are contemplating an internal review mechanism before these technologies are released.”

He added that a mutual understanding was reached during discussions, with assurances that once technology access is granted, it will not be revoked. “We need to ensure that certain sectors of the global economy have reliable and resilient supply sources,” he stated.

Dependence on Supply Sources

Highlighting the risks of over-dependence, Mr. Krishnan remarked, “Events like geopolitics and the COVID pandemic have underscored the importance of not relying excessively on a single source of supply.” He advocated for a minimum of three to four trustworthy sources for various technologies.

Regulation and Innovation in AI

On the topic of privacy and regulation, Mr. Krishnan reiterated India’s stance: “Our position is that the focus right now should be on innovation rather than regulation. Although we acknowledge that if the need arises, we will not hesitate to enforce regulations.”

On June 24, 2026, during an earlier meeting, India and the U.S. explored opportunities for collaboration in establishing diversified and reliable supply chains. The talks specifically included sectors such as semiconductor manufacturing, AI adoption, and accessing critical minerals, according to a statement from the Indian Embassy on X.

The Pax Silica Initiative: Overview

The ongoing Pax Silica Summit draws participation from member nations signed on to an initiative focused on exploring alternative routes to secure access to critical minerals, a sector important for both economic and national security, primarily centered around semiconductors.

Notably, the first Pax Silica Summit was conducted last December, with India joining the initiative in February during the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. This initiative is not classified as a trade agreement but is rather aimed at cementing economic and military security, increasingly reliant on control over the AI value chain and its management, as pointed out by officials.