QUAD Announces Launch of Critical Minerals Initiative

The Foreign Ministers of the Quad nations—India, the US, Japan, and Australia—announced the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative during their 10th Foreign Ministers Meeting held in Washington, DC, on July 1, 2025.
This flagship initiative aims to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains, which are essential for technology and industry across the Indo-Pacific region. The initiative also focuses on electronic waste (e-waste) critical minerals recovery and re-processing, and it seeks to coordinate with private sector partners to boost investments in this area.
The Quad members expressed deep concern about the reliability of critical minerals supply chains, particularly the risks posed by dependence on any single nation, which could lead to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply disruptions. The initiative reflects a shared commitment to building a diverse and reliable global supply chain for critical minerals, which are vital for clean energy systems and emerging technologies.
Alongside the Critical Minerals Initiative, the Quad is advancing several other key areas:
Maritime And transnational Security: The Quad launched the first-ever "Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission," enhancing interoperability and knowledge-sharing to combat illicit maritime activities such as piracy, drug trafficking, and illegal fishing. The mission involves officers from all four countries aboard a U.S. Coast Guard Cutter sailing from Palau to Guam. The Quad also plans to hold its second maritime legal dialogue and expand the Indo-Pacific Partnership for Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) across the Indian Ocean region.
Economic Prosperity And Infrastructure: The Quad plans to launch the "Quad Ports of the Future Partnership" with a transportation and logistics conference in Mumbai in October 2025. This aims to improve port infrastructure, logistics practices, and mobilize investments. The Quad also continues to promote energy security, resilient supply chains, and quality infrastructure projects that are transparent and secure.
Critical And Emerging Technologies: The Quad will advance secure and trusted ICT infrastructure, including work on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, and cybersecurity. It will promote digital infrastructure projects and encourage regulatory harmonization to facilitate private sector collaboration, including an undersea cables forum hosted by the US and India in 2025.
The Quad nations reaffirmed their commitment to a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific, opposing coercion and unilateral actions that threaten regional stability. They also condemned terrorism, expressed support for regional organizations like ASEAN and the Pacific Islands Forum, and emphasized cooperation on humanitarian assistance and emergency response.
The Quad Critical Minerals Initiative is a strategic effort to secure and diversify critical mineral supply chains crucial for economic and technological resilience, complemented by broader cooperation in maritime security, infrastructure development, and emerging technologies to promote peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.
Agencies