The Hindu is reporting that India and the United States finalized a framework for cooperation on critical minerals supplies on Tuesday, during the 11th Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting. Editor Suresh Nambath told The Hindu the deal addresses concerns over critical metal shortfalls, particularly after China imposed export controls on rare earth elements in 2025. It noted India holds the world’s fifth-largest rare earth reserves but produces less than 1% of global output.
The Hindu said the framework aims to deepen cooperation across the critical minerals and rare earths supply chain, including mining, processing, recycling and related investments. It seeks to strengthen resilient and diversified supply chains while promoting collaboration in financing and effective management of critical minerals and rare earths scrap. The understanding has been under consideration since Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in February 2025, when secure supply routes for critical minerals were deemed a “shared strategic priority.”
A separate framework on critical minerals was also signed among the four Quad nations — Australia, India, Japan and the United States. This agreement aims to mobilize approximately $20 billion in government and private-sector support to establish stable supply chains for critical minerals.