Jaishankar in US for Critical Minerals Meet; India Joins Pax Silica, Pakistan Excluded

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is on a three-day visit to the US for the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial.
• The ministerial aims to strengthen international cooperation for reliable critical-mineral supply chains, vital for economic security and energy transition.
• India is set to formally join the US-led Pax Silica framework in February 2026, focusing on securing silicon and semiconductor supply chains.
• US officials confirmed Pakistan is not part of Pax Silica, emphasizing membership is based on capabilities, not politics.
• The visit follows a new India-US trade pact, with the US reducing tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent.

Why It Matters: Jaishankar's US visit focuses on critical minerals and India's strategic entry into the Pax Silica framework.