India, U.S. strike Critical Minerals deal amid China concerns

India and the US on Tuesday (May 26, 2026) strengthened a key cooperation framework to ensure stable supplies of critical minerals, at a time when concerns are growing over China’s export controls on rare earths and strategic metals vital to global technology supply chains.

The framework for securing supplies for mining and processing of critical minerals was signed on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers meeting in New Delhi.

Quad Foreign Ministers meet with updates on 26 May 2026

“This is a very timely and critical thing,” External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. he said.

“This framework aims to deepen our cooperation across the entire critical minerals and rare earths supply chain, including mining, processing, recycling and related investments,” he said.

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The Secretary of State said the framework will strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains, help finance projects and also ensure effective management of critical minerals and rare earth elements.

“This is another sign of how close our cooperation is in a world where there are many challenges but also many opportunities,” he said.

In his speech, Mr. Rubio underlined the strategic partnership between the USA and India and how important it is for the national interests of both countries.

“This is a concrete example of that,” he said, referring to the signing of the agreement.

“We are two countries with a strategic interest in ensuring reliable long-term access to critical minerals and supply chains that are important to our innovation economy,” he said.

Mr. Rubio also mentioned the US-backed Pax Silica initiative.

“The foundation for this was laid when you joined us at the Critical Minerals Forum we hosted in Washington DC on February 4,” he said, adding that India gained momentum after signing Pax Silica.

“Today, we both have a strategic and shared interest in the fact that vibrant innovation economies like ours cannot afford to leave the basic materials of these industries vulnerable to a single-source monopoly that could deprive us of these things not only in time of conflict, but also as a leverage point contrary to our sovereign national interests,” he said.

“I am happy that we were able to sign this because, in addition to being an important document and an important agreement, it also provides a concrete example of the strategic partnership between the United States and India,” he said.

The Pax Silica initiative was launched in December to create a secure, resilient and innovation-driven supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence (AI).