New Delhi, February 2: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit the United States from February 2-4 to participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial, convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to an official release by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Ministerial will focus on supply chain resilience, clean energy transitions, and strategic cooperation in critical minerals. During the visit, EAM Jaishankar will also hold meetings with senior officials of the US administration.
Earlier in January, the US Department of State said the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, scheduled for February 4, will bring together global partners to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains.
In a post on X, the State Department explained that the ministerial will enhance international collaboration to secure reliable and 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 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 department said.
In parallel, broader discussions on securing global mineral networks were held earlier this month when US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent convened a high-level Finance Ministerial in Washington. The meeting focused on strengthening and diversifying critical mineral supply chains, particularly rare-earth elements.
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—attended the meeting. Representing India was Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in charge of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology.
Meanwhile, India-US engagement has also continued on the defence front. 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, held discussions with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on January 27.
The discussions focused on deepening defence industry collaboration and advancing bilateral military ties. “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 defence industry,” the Ministry of Defence said in a post on X. (Agencies)
