India, France Hold Inaugural Joint Working Group Meeting On Critical Minerals

India and France have strengthened their strategic partnership by holding the inaugural meeting of the India-France Joint Working Group on Critical Minerals in New Delhi. The meeting marks a significant step in enhancing bilateral cooperation to build resilient and diversified supply chains for critical minerals, which are essential for clean energy technologies, advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, semiconductors, and defence industries.

The meeting, held on July 6, was co-chaired by Benjamin Gallezot, France’s Interministerial Delegate for Strategic Minerals and Metals Supplies, and Kadam Sandeep Vasant, Joint Secretary overseeing the National Critical Mineral Mission at India’s Ministry of Mines. Discussions focused on expanding collaboration in the exploration, processing, recycling, and sustainable management of critical minerals and rare earth elements amid rising global demand and increasing geopolitical competition for strategic resources.

Officials from both countries identified opportunities for joint projects in India, France, and third countries with significant mineral reserves. Experts from France’s Bureau of Geological and Mining Research (BRGM) and the Geological Survey of India (GSI) also explored ways to strengthen their long-standing scientific partnership, agreeing to deepen cooperation across the entire critical minerals value chain, including resource mapping, exploration, extraction, processing, and recycling.

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During his two-day visit to India, Benjamin Gallezot also met Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor to discuss the strategic importance of critical mineral security. He further interacted with representatives of Indian industry at a session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), where both sides discussed opportunities for greater commercial, technological, and industrial collaboration in the critical minerals sector.

The meeting follows the signing of the France-India Joint Declaration of Intent on Cooperation in Critical Minerals during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to India in February this year. The agreement laid the foundation for closer cooperation in mineral exploration, mining, research and innovation, supply chain diversification, and the development of circular economy practices, including the recycling of strategic minerals.

The launch of the Joint Working Group reflects the growing strategic importance of India-France relations, which have expanded beyond defence and civil nuclear cooperation to include emerging technologies, energy transition, and supply chain resilience. As global competition for minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, and rare earth elements intensifies, both countries are seeking to secure long-term access to these resources to support industrial growth, clean energy goals, and economic security.

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