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India and the United States have signed a new framework agreement covering critical minerals and rare earths, marking another step in Washington’s effort to build alternative supply chains outside China while opening the door for greater mining and processing investment in India.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi on May 26 during US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to India for meetings with the Quad nations, which also include Japan and Australia.
The framework focuses on cooperation across mining, mineral processing, recycling, and project financing for critical minerals and rare earths, as well as scrap recovery and downstream supply chain development.
Processing Capacity Remains Key Challenge
Rare earths and other critical minerals have become a major geopolitical issue over the past several years as demand for electric vehicles, energy storage systems, and advanced electronics continues to rise.
China remains the dominant player in rare earth refining and processing. While deposits exist in several countries, the technical and chemical-intensive nature of separation and refining has concentrated much of the industry in China over the past two decades. As a result, governments worldwide have been pushed to support new supply chains for mining, refining, and recycling.
The India-US agreement arrives as Washington expands its partnerships with countries viewed as potential long-term suppliers or processing centres for strategic minerals. The United States has recently signed similar arrangements with countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Indo-Pacific region.
India Looks to Build a Larger Role In Rare Earths
India has significant mineral potential, particularly in monazite deposits located along its southern and eastern coastlines. Monazite contains rare-earth oxides used in permanent magnets and other high-tech applications.
According to Indian government estimates, the country holds more than 13 million tonnes of monazite resources, with major deposits concentrated in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
Despite those reserves, India’s production and processing base remains limited. Commercial output is still concentrated in minerals such as copper, graphite, phosphorus, and titanium, while large-scale rare-earth separation capacity remains underdeveloped.
Rare earth refining requires complex chemical separation systems, significant capital investment, and long development timelines. Processing operations also generate waste streams that require specialized handling and environmental controls.
To address these limitations, India’s latest federal budget included plans to establish rare-earth corridors across several coastal states, with a focus on mineral processing, magnet manufacturing, and research tied to rare-earth applications in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and other advanced technologies.
Quad Countries Increase Focus on Mineral Security
The bilateral framework was announced alongside a larger Quad initiative covering critical mineral cooperation among India, the United States, Japan, and Australia, including plans to support mining, refining, and recycling projects through loans, guarantees, subsidies, and long-term supply agreements. The program could mobilize up to $20 billion from government and private-sector participants.
The four countries also plan to cooperate on permitting systems, regulatory standards, and recycling technologies for critical minerals.
Recycling is becoming a larger part of supply chain planning as governments and manufacturers seek secondary sources of rare earths and battery materials. Recovering minerals from industrial waste and end-of-life equipment is expected to become increasingly important over the next decade, particularly for magnet materials and battery feedstocks.
Strategic Competition Reshapes Mining Investment
The agreement reflects changes taking place across the global mining sector as countries compete to secure long-term access to strategic resources.
The United States has expanded support for domestic mining and refining projects while also backing overseas developments focused on critical minerals and rare earths. Recent US-supported projects include Pakistan’s Reko Diq copper-gold project and South Africa’s Phalaborwa rare earth development.
For India, closer cooperation with the United States could support access to financing, processing technology, and downstream industrial partnerships.
The framework itself does not yet include project-specific investment commitments or production targets. Further details are expected to emerge from government-level discussions with private-sector participation.
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