US Under Secretary of State Jacob S Helberg praised the US and India’s pro-innovation approach to artificial intelligence (AI). He said both countries want to “champion” rules that support growth and encourage the development of new technology.
In a post on X (formerly twitter), Helberg referred to the recently signed India–US AI Opportunity Partnership and said, “Both sides pledge to adopt and mainstream regulatory regimes that advance technological innovation and promote investment. They aim to champion a pro-growth regulatory environment that fosters AI innovation and empowers builders, coders, creators, startups, and the platforms that enable them, in both countries, to test, deploy, and scale rapidly to build secure and trusted AI ecosystems.”
The U.S. and India signed a bilateral Joint Statement on AI Opportunity supporting:
✅ A Pro-Innovation Approach to AI:
“Both sides pledge to adopt and mainstream regulatory regimes that advance technological innovation and promote investment. They aim to champion a pro-growth…
— Under Secretary of State Jacob S. Helberg (@UnderSecE) February 21, 2026
India joins Pax Silica initiative
On Friday, India joined the Pax Silica initiative and also signed a joint statement on the “India-US AI Opportunity Partnership” as an addendum to the declaration.
According to the joint statement, both countries share a common vision for their innovation ecosystems. They said the principles of the Pax Silica Declaration match the goals of the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and the India-U.S. COMPACT (Catalyzing Opportunities for Military Partnership and Accelerated Commerce and Technology) for the 21st century.
Both sides said they want to move “beyond the paralysis of fear” and instead focus on the opportunities AI offers, using it to promote innovation and improve human prosperity.
They also said they plan to adopt and strengthen regulatory systems that support technological progress and attract investment. Their goal is to create a pro-growth environment that supports AI innovation and gives builders, coders, creators, startups, and platforms in both countries the freedom to test, launch, and expand their technologies quickly while building secure and trusted AI ecosystems.
Focus on private sector and investment
The joint statement added that both countries want to create an environment where the AI revolution is driven by the private sector. This would be supported by strong ecosystems of developer tools and platforms that make it easier for new players to enter the field.
They also aim to encourage cross-border venture capital investments and research partnerships to ensure that their democracies – and entrepreneurs – continue to shape the future.
The two sides plan to work together on industry partnerships and investments in next-generation data centres, improve access to computing power and processors for AI, and promote innovation in AI models and applications.