EAM Jaishankar to US: Critical Minerals, Pax Silica, Trade on Agenda

• EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar will visit Washington D.C. early next month for a Ministerial Meeting on Critical Minerals.
• The meeting, hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aims to secure critical mineral supply chains, reducing dependence on China.
• India may join 'Pax Silica', a US-led initiative for technological cooperation in semiconductors, AI, and cybersecurity, offering access to US tech and investment.
• Discussions will also cover India-US bilateral trade, civil nuclear cooperation, defense manufacturing, and energy security.
• The visit seeks to strengthen the foundation for achieving the $500 billion bilateral trade target by 2030.

Why It Matters: EAM Jaishankar's US visit focuses on critical minerals, technology alliance, and boosting bilateral trade.