Jaishankar Heads to US for Key Minerals Talks, Defence Tops India-US Agenda

The Ministerial will focus on supply chain resilience, clean energy transitions, and strategic cooperation in critical minerals.

During the visit, the External Affairs Minister will also hold meetings with senior members of the US administration.

Ahead of the Ministerial, the US Department of State had said in January that the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, to be held on February 4 by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, will bring together partners from across the globe to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains.

Expanding on the agenda, the State Department said in a post on X that the ministerial will focus on enhancing international collaboration to secure reliable, resilient critical mineral supply chains, which are essential to the US's economic and national security, technological leadership, and energy transition.

"On February 4, Secretary Rubio will welcome partners from across the globe to the State Department for the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial. Strengthening critical mineral supply chains with our international partners is vital to America's economic and national security, technological leadership, and a resilient energy future," the State Department stated in its post.

In parallel with these efforts, broader discussions on securing global mineral networks were also held earlier this month, when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a high-level Finance Ministerial in Washington to explore ways to strengthen and diversify critical mineral supply chains, with a particular focus on rare-earth elements.

According to a release by the US Department of the Treasury, the meeting brought together finance ministers and senior officials from key economies, including Australia, Canada, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and the United Kingdom.

Representing India at the Finance Ministerial was Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.

Meanwhile, India-US engagement has also continued on the defence front, with a United States Congressional delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Mike Rogers, along with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, holding discussions with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh.

The meeting, held on January 27, featured wide-ranging discussions on deepening defence industry collaboration and advancing bilateral military ties, according to the Ministry of Defence.

"US Congressional Delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Mike Rogers met Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh today. They had wide ranging discussions including the recently concluded 10-year Major Defence Partnership Framework Agreement with emphasis on strengthening cooperation in the field of defence industry," the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X.

- ANI