India's Pivotal Role in Global Critical Minerals Race: Jaishankar's US Visit Signals New Era

• External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar attended the first Critical Minerals Ministerial in the U.S., highlighting India's growing importance in global supply chains.
• India has transitioned from a critical minerals buyer to a gatekeeper, challenging China's processing monopoly in essential resources like cobalt and lithium.
• The National Critical Minerals Mission, launched in January 2025, focuses on domestic exploration, private investment, and securing international concession agreements, such as KABIL's lithium blocks in Argentina.
• Recent tariff cuts with the U.S. and an EU trade deal facilitating equipment for mineral processing underscore India's strategic positioning to become a major processing hub.
• India's unique multi-alignment foreign policy and significant talent in semiconductor design make it an indispensable partner for countries seeking resilient supply chains, as acknowledged by its inclusion in Pax Silica.