India-US Secure Critical Minerals Pact Amid China Concerns

India and the US have established a critical minerals framework to ensure reliable supply chains amid China’s control over rare earth elements. This cooperative effort, signed during the Quad foreign ministers' meeting, aims to strengthen supply chains and support projects through significant investments and strategic partnerships.

India and the United States have strengthened their strategic partnership by signing a crucial framework to guarantee steady supplies of critical minerals. This move comes amid increasing global concerns over China's control of rare earth elements and strategic metals essential for technology supply chains.

The framework was signed on the sidelines of the Quad foreign ministers' meeting, with India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in attendance. Jaishankar emphasized the timeliness and importance of the agreement in reinforcing supply chain resilience, financing projects, and managing critical minerals efficiently.

Rubio highlighted the agreement as a testament to the strong US-India relationship, underscoring the strategic interest both nations share in securing reliable long-term access to critical minerals. The US has committed over USD 30 billion in investments, bolstering the initiative through the Pax Silica project and intensive diplomatic and commercial engagements.