India and US sign critical minerals agreement

The governments of India and the United States have signed a landmark agreement to cooperate on critical minerals and rare earth elements.

According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the signing ceremony took place in New Delhi, attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Jaishankar stated that the framework agreement is designed to secure the supply of critical minerals and rare earth elements, focusing on extraction and processing. The document envisions deepening cooperation across the entire supply chain, including mining, processing, recycling, and related investments. Rubio emphasized that the strategic interests of both nations require reliable, long-term access to minerals vital for the innovation economy, noting that dynamic economies should not depend on a single source for key industrial materials.

This agreement comes amid growing global efforts by major economies to diversify supply chains for critical minerals, which are essential for clean energy technologies, defense systems, and advanced electronics. Currently, the global supply chain for rare earth elements is heavily concentrated, prompting countries like the US and India to strengthen bilateral partnerships to mitigate vulnerabilities and enhance economic security.