The United States Under Secretary of State, Jacob S Helberg, has praised the burgeoning US-India partnership in artificial intelligence, emphasising a shared commitment to fostering a pro-growth regulatory framework. Speaking from Washington DC on 22 February 2026, Helberg highlighted the recently signed US-India AI Opportunity Partnership as a pivotal step towards innovation-led development.

In a statement posted on X, Helberg underscored that both nations pledge to mainstream regulatory regimes which prioritise technological advancement and investment.

This approach, he noted, champions an environment conducive to AI innovation, empowering builders, coders, creators, start-ups, and enabling platforms across both countries.

The partnership builds on the Pax Silica initiative, to which India formally acceded on Friday. Accompanying this was a Joint Statement framing the AI Opportunity Partnership as a bilateral addendum to the broader Declaration, aligning it seamlessly with the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership.

Central to this vision is the India-US COMPACT initiative, or Catalysing Opportunities for Military Partnership and Accelerated Commerce and Technology for the 21st century. The joint statement explicitly links Pax Silica's principles to these frameworks, signalling a strategic convergence in technology policy.

Both sides reject a mindset of regulatory paralysis driven by fear, opting instead for the dynamism of AI opportunities. This shift aims to harness innovation for human prosperity, positioning the partnership as a counterweight to overly restrictive global approaches.

Key commitments include adopting regulations that accelerate testing, deployment, and scaling of AI systems. The focus lies on constructing secure and trusted AI ecosystems, with safeguards integrated to promote reliability without stifling progress.

The partnership envisions an AI revolution propelled by private sector creativity. It seeks to cultivate robust ecosystems of developer tools and platforms that dramatically lower entry barriers for innovators.

Facilitating cross-border venture capital flows and research and development collaborations forms another cornerstone. These measures intend to ensure that democratic nations like India and the US—and their entrepreneurs—shape the AI-driven future.

Practical cooperation extends to industry partnerships and investments in next-generation data centres. Enhanced access to compute resources and processors for AI development is a priority, addressing critical infrastructure bottlenecks.

Further ambitions include joint advancement in AI model innovation and the creation of AI applications. This collaborative thrust could yield breakthroughs in sectors ranging from healthcare to defence, leveraging complementary strengths.

Helberg's remarks reflect broader US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, where AI prowess bolsters alliances against technological dominance by adversaries. For India, the partnership aligns with its push for indigenous AI capabilities amid global supply chain shifts.

The timing of the announcement, amid escalating geopolitical tensions, underscores AI's role in national security. Both nations view the partnership as enhancing military interoperability through COMPACT, potentially integrating AI into joint defence technologies.

The deal promises to invigorate India's burgeoning start-up ecosystem, already a global hub for AI talent. US investments could supercharge data centre expansions, vital for training large-scale models.

Critics might question the balance between innovation and ethics, yet the joint statement prioritises trusted ecosystems. This suggests embedded governance mechanisms to mitigate risks like bias or misuse.

India's accession to Pax Silica marks a diplomatic win, grouping it with like-minded partners. The initiative promotes open architectures in silicon design, countering fragmented global standards.

The US-India AI Opportunity Partnership signals a proactive pivot towards permissive yet secure regulation. It positions both democracies as leaders in the AI race, fostering mutual prosperity.

ANI