Jaishankar Confirms Landmark India-US Rare Earth Partnership Agreement
India and the US agreed on a rare earth pact to secure critical mineral supply chains.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Tuesday announced the signing of a landmark bilateral framework between India and the United States aimed at securing supplies of critical minerals and rare earth elements, marking a significant step in strengthening strategic supply chain cooperation between the two countries.
Jaishankar said the agreement comes at a crucial time amid intensifying global competition for critical resources that underpin advanced technologies. He described the pact as timely and essential, noting that discussions on securing supply chains were also part of recent engagements in multilateral formats such as the Quad.
The External Affairs Minister said the framework would deepen cooperation across the entire critical minerals ecosystem, including mining, processing, recycling and related investment. He added that the initiative is designed to strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains, while also improving collaboration on financing and resource management.
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According to Jaishankar, the agreement reflects the growing strategic convergence between India and the United States in addressing global supply chain vulnerabilities. He noted that similar initiatives have already been discussed and advanced through earlier bilateral and multilateral mechanisms, including recent critical minerals ministerial meetings.
The backdrop to the agreement is the increasing global urgency to reduce dependence on concentrated supply sources, particularly China, which dominates the rare earth and critical minerals market. These materials are essential for technologies such as artificial intelligence systems, robotics, electric vehicle batteries and autonomous platforms, making supply security a key geopolitical priority.
Officials said the new framework will also complement broader cooperation efforts within the Quad grouping and other like-minded partnerships focused on securing reliable access to strategic materials. The development is expected to accelerate joint investments and policy coordination in the critical minerals sector over the coming years.
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