US signals deeper critical minerals engagement with India, Vaishnaw to attend meet: Report

Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw is expected represent India at a key US-hosted meeting on critical minerals scheduled for January 12, at a time when China’s use of supply chains as a geopolitical tool has raised concerns, the Economic Times reported.

Indicating Washington’s intent to involve New Delhi in the initiative, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Saturday that India, Australia and several other countries will participate in a meeting of finance ministers from the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies that he will host in Washington on Monday to discuss the issue, the report said.

Bessent told reporters that he had been pushing for a dedicated discussion on the matter since the G7 leaders’ summit last summer, citing China’s weaponisation of supply chains. He added that G7 finance ministers had already held a virtual meeting on the issue in December.

The report, citing People familiar with the developments, said Vaishnaw is likely to attend the meeting on India’s behalf.

India is also set to join the US-led Pax Silica initiative ahead of the artificial intelligence summit being hosted by New Delhi, the report said.

In addition, India will participate in another US meeting on critical minerals ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit scheduled to be held in New Delhi on February 19 and 20, ET said.

Although India is a member of the Quad Critical Minerals initiative, it was not initially included in Pax Silica, which currently comprises the US, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Australia.

Separately, the US has a distinct critical minerals initiative with Pakistan—an engagement that has strengthened political ties between Washington and Islamabad, much to India’s discomfort.