New Delhi [India], February 2 (ANI): External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will visit the United States from February 2 to 4 to participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, according to an official release from 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, Jaishankar is also scheduled to hold meetings with senior members of the US administration.
Ahead of the event, the US Department of State said in January that the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, to be held on February 4, will bring together partners from across the globe to strengthen cooperation on critical mineral supply chains.
Expanding on the agenda, the State Department said in a post on X that the ministerial will emphasize enhancing international collaboration to secure reliable and resilient critical mineral supply chains, which are essential to the United States’ economic and national security, technological leadership, and energy transition.
“On February 4, Secretary Rubio will welcome partners from across the globe to the State Department 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 State Department said.
Parallel 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 to explore ways to strengthen and diversify critical mineral supply chains, with a particular focus on rare earth elements.
According to the US Department of the Treasury, the meeting brought together 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. India was represented at the meeting by Union Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting, and Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Meanwhile, India-US engagement has also continued on the defense front. A United States Congressional delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers, along with US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, held discussions with Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh on January 27.
The meeting included wide-ranging discussions on deepening defense industry collaboration and advancing bilateral military ties, according to the Ministry of Defence. “US Congressional Delegation led by Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers met Defence Secretary 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 field of defense industry,” the ministry said in a post on X.
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