India Gains Entry Into Trump’s Proposed ‘C-5’ But Misses Out on Pax Silica Initiative
THE LAST WEEK witnessed both a loss and a win for Indian diplomacy. The win was India being included in the latest proposal by US President Donald Trump to form a new regional grouping called the C-5, and the loss was India being denied a seat at Pax Silica.
US President Donald Trump is reportedly looking to present a new global alliance, the ‘C5’, or ‘Core Five’, as a forum of major world powers, including the US, Russia, China, India, and Japan. It aims to sideline the currently European-dominated G-7 and other traditional democratic and wealth-based organisations.
The new US National Security Strategy lays the foundation for Trump’s proposed global realignment.
The move followed the release of the US’s new National Security Strategy (NSS), which has caused a stir worldwide due to controversial elements such as America’s policy to counter China and its planned withdrawal from European defence commitments.
However, many sections of the document have either not been made public, or, if released, have been discussed very little.
It includes several significant changes planned by the Trump administration. It mentions the C-5, which has attracted the attention of defence experts globally.
While the public document calls for the US to pull back from European security, other undisclosed elements reportedly include a plan to “Make Europe Great Again.”
The detailed document appears to emphasise America’s ideological dominance over Europe’s future. It claims Europe is facing a “crisis of civilisation” due to “immigration policy and censorship of free speech.” Therefore, it suggests Washington should build closer ties with Austria, Hungary, Italy, and Poland.
What is the C-5? Trump’s Alternative to the G-7
The leaked NSS draft also proposes a new balance-of-power mechanism among global powers.
It calls for the creation of a new organisation, the C-5, that would not be based on economic or democratic criteria like the G-7 or G-20, but would instead be a forum for the world’s five most populous and powerful countries: the US, China, Russia, India, and Japan.
According to the Trump administration’s plan, the C-5 will hold regular summits and seek to resolve major geopolitical and political crises. The proposed agenda for its first meeting reportedly includes normalising relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
It should also be noted that President Trump had opposed Russia’s expulsion from the G-8 after its 2014 annexation of Crimea. Another interesting element is that the Trump administration has acknowledged that it is impossible to maintain uncontested American dominance forever.
The document clearly states that “maintaining American dominance is neither possible nor wise.”
It further explains that although US policymakers have historically believed global dominance served American national interest, future interventions should occur only when a nation poses a direct threat to American security.
The American publication Politico reported that this idea of a new hard-power grouping emerged as part of a larger unpublished national security vision.
However, the White House has denied the existence of any such secret document, insisting that there is “no alternative, private or secret version” of the official plan.
What is Pax Silica — And Why Was India Left Out?
Pax Silica aims to build a secure and collaborative semiconductor ecosystem among leading tech nations.
Meanwhile, Pax Silica, the US State Department’s flagship initiative on AI and supply-chain security, seeks to unite the world’s most technologically advanced economies to build a secure semiconductor and AI ecosystem.
Announced on December 12, the initiative formalises the belief that the global economy is now being reshaped by artificial intelligence—and that secure access to critical minerals, semiconductor manufacturing, compute power, energy, and digital infrastructure has become a national security priority.
Partners include Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Israel, the UAE, and Australia, with participation from Taiwan, the EU, Canada, and the OECD.
Partner nations sign onto the Pax Silica initiative to secure semiconductor and AI supply chains.
Collectively, these nations anchor the global semiconductor ecosystem, powering companies such as Sony, Hitachi, Fujitsu, Samsung, SK Hynix, DeepMind, MGX, Rio Tinto, and ASML.
The initiative signals a geopolitical shift. The US now sees economic security and national security as inseparable.
However, India has reportedly been left out due to tariff disputes and differing trade positions with Washington—even as major powers compete over critical mineral control, much of which remains dominated by China.
Trump’s Strategy: Political Realism or Strategic Posturing?
Overall, Trump’s new proposal appears to reflect evolving global realities. Though many of his earlier decisions have faced criticism, this is perhaps the first time one of his plans is seen as grounded in strategic realism.
Trump’s evolving strategy signals a sharp shift in America’s global role, priorities and alliances.
For the first time, there appears to be an acknowledgement of how the US has, for decades, destabilised various regions to serve its own interests—and a stated desire to shift direction.
Trump, primarily a businessman often criticised for his policies, now appears to be recognising political realities and articulating what his critics have said for decades.
Yet his business mindset remains visible: he reportedly plans to reduce US defence spending abroad and redirect resources toward strengthening America domestically.
This proposal also reveals another side of his personality—a willingness to accept uncomfortable truths rather than ignore them. At the same time, the initiative may enhance both his political standing and his image as a global leader. 
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Asad Mirza
The author is a New Delhi-based senior commentator on national and international affairs, defence and strategic issues, and environmental concerns. He is also an interfaith practitioner and a media consultant. Previously, he was associated with the BBC Urdu Service and the Khaleej Times in Dubai.
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