Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, made headlines at Washington’s Critical Minerals Ministerial on February 4 by championing structured global cooperation to safeguard critical minerals supply lines. His comments respond to America’s call for allies to craft a unified trading system against mounting supply threats.
Drawing attention to the risks of supply chain monopolies, Jaishankar stressed the imperative for nations to collaborate purposefully. He detailed India’s forward-thinking strategies: launching the National Critical Minerals Mission for resource exploration, establishing rare earth corridors, embracing ethical trade norms, and endorsing the ‘Forge’ alliance for enhanced security.
US Vice President J.D. Vance amplified the urgency, framing critical minerals as the bedrock of contemporary economies—rivaling oil in necessity. He decried vulnerable chains prone to manipulation, where volatility deters investors. ‘Critical minerals are as real as it gets,’ he noted, citing cases of artificial oversupply that obliterated prices and shuttered operations.
Nations at the table command two-thirds of global GDP, equipping them to overhaul markets. Vance envisioned a fortified preferential trade zone, with reference pricing across production phases, policed by adaptive tariffs against dumping. This structure aims to anchor prices, ignite investments, foster planning, and guarantee supplies in emergencies.
The summit underscores a brewing consensus among partners to wrest control from unstable sources, fueling advancements in clean energy, batteries, and high-tech manufacturing. Jaishankar’s stance highlights India’s strategic pivot toward resilient, multipolar mineral networks.