EAM Jaishankar to visit Washington for Critical Minerals Supply Chain Meet

• External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is invited to Washington, DC, in early February for a two-day meeting on critical minerals.
• The meeting, organized by the US, aims to secure and strengthen global supply chains for essential minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements.
• India is already part of the Minerals Security Partnership and was recently invited to join Pax Silica, a new US initiative.
• The upcoming discussions could help streamline various US-led efforts, such as Pax Silica and the Minerals Security Partnership, to improve cooperation.
• The White House emphasizes the strategic importance of these talks for America's economic, national security, and energy future.

Why It Matters: EAM Jaishankar's US visit focuses on strengthening critical mineral supply chains and strategic cooperation.