India, US sign critical minerals pact at Quad meet to secure supply chains
India and the United States have signed a bilateral framework on critical minerals and rare earths during the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting, aiming to build resilient supply chains for semiconductors, electric vehicles, clean energy and defence technologies.
India and the United States have signed a bilateral framework on critical minerals and rare earths during the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting, aiming to build resilient supply chains for semiconductors, electric vehicles, clean energy and defence technologies. India and US sign critical minerals deal to secure supply chains at Quad meet (Image courtesy: X – @DrSJaishankar)New Delhi:In a significant step towards reducing dependence on China-dominated supply chains, India and the United States on Tuesday inked a strategic bilateral framework on critical minerals and rare earths. The agreement was signed in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi. “We are today signing a bilateral India-US framework on securing supplies of mining and processing of critical minerals and rare earths. This is something we have also discussed today at the Quad meeting and whether we are doing it bilaterally, or in the Quad format or as a larger gathering of like-minded nations, it is something very timely and critical,” Jaishankar said. What does the framework coverThe agreement covers the entire critical minerals and rare earth supply chain, spanning mining, processing, recycling and related investment. Jaishankar said the framework would strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains and help both countries collaborate on financing and the effective management of critical minerals. “It is one more sign of how close our cooperation is in a world where there are so many challenges but also so many opportunities,” he added. Rubio calls it a tangible example of strategic allianceRubio described the signing as a concrete demonstration of the growing strategic partnership between the two nations. “I have spoken often during my time here over the last few days about the strategic alliance between the United States and India and how important that is for our national interest in the United States. And today is a tangible example of it,” he said. Rubio traced the groundwork for the agreement to a Critical Minerals Forum hosted in Washington on February 4, which gained further momentum when India signed on to Pax Silica later that month. He warned that innovation economies could not afford to leave foundational materials “vulnerable to single source monopolies that could deny us these things, not just in a time of conflict, but as a leverage point contrary to our sovereign national interests. ”Why does this deal matter nowThe agreement comes as countries worldwide accelerate efforts to diversify sourcing of rare earths and critical minerals used in batteries, electronics, renewable energy systems and advanced defence technologies, driven by mounting concerns over China’s stranglehold on global processing and supply. The pact was more than two months in the making, after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor had said in February that Washington and New Delhi were “very close” to finalising a critical minerals deal. Sushmita GogoiSushmita Gogoi is a broadcast and digital news producer with over ten years of experience across some of India's leading newsrooms, including NDTV, CNN-News18 and News9 Live. She specialises in business and global news, with a strong focus on making complex topics clear and accessible for general audiences across television, YouTube and social media. She has produced flagship primetime shows, led daily business programming and covered major international events including the India-Germany Global Summit 2025 in Stuttgart. Read MoreLatest Stories