External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is set to visit the United States from 2 to 4 February 2026, participating in the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

This high-level gathering, hosted in Washington, underscores the growing emphasis on securing global supply chains for essential resources.

The Ministerial will centre on bolstering supply chain resilience, advancing clean energy transitions, and fostering strategic cooperation in critical minerals. These materials, vital for technologies ranging from electric vehicles to defence systems, face vulnerabilities due to concentrated production in a few nations, prompting urgent international collaboration.

Ahead of the event, the US Department of State highlighted its significance in a January announcement. It described the summit as a platform to unite global partners in enhancing reliable and resilient critical mineral supply chains, which are crucial for America's economic security, technological edge, and energy future.

Secretary Rubio is expected to welcome delegates from across the world to the State Department on 4 February. The focus remains on countering risks in supply networks, particularly amid geopolitical tensions and the push for diversified sourcing away from dominant suppliers like China.

This Ministerial builds on parallel US-led initiatives. Earlier this month, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hosted a Finance Ministerial in Washington, convening finance ministers and officials from key economies including Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

That gathering zeroed in on strengthening and diversifying critical mineral supply chains, with a special emphasis on rare-earth elements indispensable for high-tech industries. Representing India was Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who oversees Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology.

Vaishnaw's participation signals India's proactive stance in these forums, aligning with its ambitions to ramp up domestic mining, processing, and export capabilities in critical minerals. New Delhi has identified over 30 such minerals as strategic, launching auctions and incentives to reduce import dependence, which currently stands at nearly 100 per cent for many.

Jaishankar's itinerary extends beyond the Ministerial. He will hold meetings with senior US administration figures, potentially covering trade, technology transfers, and bilateral partnerships. These discussions come at a time of intensified India-US engagement across multiple fronts.

On the defence side, momentum is evident from recent interactions. A US Congressional delegation, led by House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers and including US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, met Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on 27 January.

The talks spanned deepening defence industry collaboration and advancing military ties. A key highlight was the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement, aimed at enhancing cooperation in defence manufacturing and technology sharing.

This framework reflects India's push for indigenous production under initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat, while leveraging US expertise in areas such as semiconductors, drones, and advanced materials—many reliant on critical minerals. The Ministry of Defence noted the discussions' emphasis on practical outcomes in these domains.

India's involvement in critical minerals diplomacy holds strategic weight. As a rising power in renewables and defence tech, it seeks reliable access to lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths to fuel its electric mobility goals, space programme, and military modernisation.

The US views India as a counterweight in the Indo-Pacific, with shared concerns over supply chain dominance by adversarial actors. Joint efforts could unlock investments in Indian processing facilities, mirroring pacts like the US-Quad minerals initiative.

Challenges persist, however. Environmental regulations, infrastructure gaps, and exploration costs hinder rapid scaling in India. Yet, policies like the Critical Minerals Mission promise streamlined approvals and public-private partnerships to bridge these.

Broader geopolitical ripples are at play. The Ministerial occurs against a backdrop of evolving US leadership under figures like Rubio and Bessent, prioritising onshoring and allied sourcing. For India, it offers leverage in negotiations for defence deals and tech collaborations.

Jaishankar's visit thus symbolises converging priorities. It reinforces the India-US comprehensive global strategic partnership, blending economic resilience with security imperatives in an era of resource nationalism.

Outcomes from the summit could accelerate bilateral memoranda on mineral exploration or joint ventures, benefiting India's defence PSUs like HAL and BEL, which integrate these materials into missiles, radars, and aircraft.

This trip positions India at the vanguard of a minerals race with profound implications for its aerospace ambitions, green energy targets, and strategic autonomy.

Based On ANI Report