India Expands Global Push for Critical Minerals Partnerships

India is intensifying diplomatic and commercial efforts to secure critical mineral supplies, opening discussions with Brazil, Canada, France, and Netherlands on joint exploration, extraction, processing, and recycling initiatives. The talks focus heavily on lithium and rare earth elements—materials essential for clean energy technologies, electric mobility, and advanced manufacturing. India is also seeking access to advanced mineral-processing technologies as it works to reduce strategic vulnerabilities and support its fast-growing industrial and renewable energy sectors.

The outreach reflects New Delhi’s determination to reduce dependence on China, which dominates global supply chains for several critical minerals and leads in processing technologies. Mining specialists note, however, that the path from discovery to production can span years, with exploration alone often taking five to seven years and not always resulting in commercially viable output. India hopes to mirror aspects of its recently signed critical minerals cooperation framework with Germany, which covers exploration, processing, recycling, and joint development of mineral assets both domestically and in third countries.

The Ministry of Mines is spearheading the negotiations, as India broadens its global mineral diplomacy. The country has already signed cooperation pacts with Argentina, Australia, and Japan, and is in discussions with Peru and Chile. The push aligns with broader international efforts among major economies to diversify supply chains for minerals deemed vital for the energy transition and future-facing industries.

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