India and US Forge Path to Bolster Critical Minerals Cooperation

India and the US are negotiating an agreement to boost collaboration in critical mineral supply chains. During Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's visit to Washington, discussions with US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and US Trade Representative Katherine Tai will focus on diversifying supplies and enhancing bilateral trade.

India and the United States are in talks to finalize an agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation in the domain of essential critical minerals. This issue will take center stage during Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal's upcoming visit to Washington this week.

Invited by US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, Minister Goyal will be in Washington from September 30 to October 3. The commerce ministry disclosed on Sunday that Goyal and Raimondo will also deliberate on expanding and diversifying critical minerals supply chains between the two nations.

The two sides are negotiating a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to boost bilateral collaboration in increasing and diversifying essential critical mineral supply chains while leveraging their complementary strengths. Critical minerals like cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, and rare earths are indispensable for clean energy production technologies, such as wind turbines and electric cars. They are particularly key for manufacturing batteries for electric vehicles.

(With inputs from agencies.)