India and the United States on Tuesday signed a strategic agreement on critical minerals and rare earths, marking a major step towards strengthening supply chain security for resources vital to semiconductors, electric vehicles, clean energy and defence technologies amid rising global concerns over dependence on China-dominated supply networks.
The agreement was signed during the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in the presence of External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Announcing the development, Jaishankar said the bilateral framework would strengthen cooperation across the entire critical minerals and rare earths value chain, including mining, processing, recycling and investments.
“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 likeminded nations, it is something very timely and critical,” Jaishankar said.
He added that the framework would help create resilient and diversified supply chains while enabling collaboration in financing and effective management of critical minerals and rare earths.
Calling the agreement a reflection of deepening strategic ties, Rubio said India and the US shared a common interest in ensuring reliable long-term access to critical minerals required for advanced industries and innovation-driven economies.
“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,” Rubio said.
The agreement comes more than two months after US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor indicated that Washington and New Delhi were close to finalising a deal focused on securing supply chains for advanced manufacturing, energy systems and emerging technologies.
Speaking earlier this year at the India Today Conclave 2026, Gor had described the proposed agreement as part of a broader series of breakthroughs in India-US relations covering trade, technology cooperation and strategic coordination.
Rubio noted that the groundwork for the agreement began during the Critical Minerals Forum held in Washington on February 4 and gained momentum after India joined broader collaborative initiatives focused on securing mineral supply chains.
The pact assumes significance at a time when countries across the world are seeking to diversify sourcing of rare earths and critical minerals used in batteries, electronics, renewable energy systems and advanced defence technologies, amid concerns over China’s overwhelming dominance in global processing and supply chains.
