Jaishankar’s US Visit Signals Strategic Push on Critical Minerals, Trade and Technology Cooperation

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has begun a significant visit to the United States at a time when India-US relations are navigating both growing strategic alignment and rising trade-related tensions. The three-day visit is centred on high-level discussions around critical minerals, trade negotiations, and broader economic and technology cooperation, reflecting how supply chain security and industrial policy have become central to modern diplomacy.

The visit comes against the backdrop of US tariff actions on certain Indian exports and concerns in Washington over India’s continued energy purchases from Russia. At the same time, both governments have signalled a strong desire to stabilise relations and push forward on a comprehensive bilateral trade agreement, highlighting the importance of the partnership for long-term geopolitical and economic goals.

External affairs minister S Jaishankar. (PTI) | Hindustan Times

Critical Minerals as a Strategic Priority

A central focus of Jaishankar’s visit is his participation in a critical minerals ministerial meeting convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The meeting brings together officials from G7 countries along with mineral-rich nations from Africa and other regions, underscoring the growing international effort to diversify and secure global supply chains for rare earths and other critical materials.

These minerals are essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, defence technologies, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing. With China currently dominating large parts of the global rare earth and processing market, the US and its partners are seeking to reduce strategic vulnerabilities by encouraging alternative sourcing, processing and investment partnerships. For India, deeper engagement in these initiatives supports its ambitions to become a major manufacturing and clean energy hub.

Semiconductor Security and the Pax Silica Initiative

India is also expected to move closer to participation in Pax Silica, a US-led initiative aimed at building secure and diversified global supply chains for semiconductors, artificial intelligence hardware and advanced computing infrastructure. The initiative reflects growing concern in Washington and allied capitals over concentrated dependencies in critical technology sectors.

For New Delhi, alignment with Pax Silica would complement its domestic push to develop semiconductor fabrication, chip design and electronics manufacturing under its industrial policy programmes. Participation would also strengthen India’s integration into trusted technology ecosystems, enhancing its role in global value chains at a time when technology and national security are increasingly intertwined.

Trade Negotiations and Tariff Challenges

Trade remains a sensitive but central issue during Jaishankar’s visit. The US has imposed steep tariffs on select Indian exports, including punitive measures linked to India’s energy imports from Russia. These actions have introduced friction into the relationship, even as both sides publicly stress the strategic depth of their partnership.

Indian and US officials have indicated that negotiations toward a bilateral trade agreement have made substantial progress. The objective is to expand market access, reduce tariff barriers and create a more predictable trade framework. Both governments have also reiterated their long-term ambition to more than double bilateral trade to $500 billion by 2030, reflecting the scale of economic integration they hope to achieve.

Energy, Nuclear and Defence Cooperation

Beyond minerals and trade, Jaishankar’s engagements in Washington are expected to cover energy security, civil nuclear cooperation and defence ties. Recent discussions between Indian and US officials have highlighted interest in expanding civil nuclear collaboration, particularly after India’s moves to liberalise parts of its nuclear sector.

Defence cooperation continues to be a major pillar of the relationship, with growing emphasis on technology sharing, joint exercises and defence industrial collaboration. These efforts are closely linked to broader Indo-Pacific strategies, where both countries see a strong partnership as essential to maintaining regional stability and balance.

Supply Chain Realignment and the China Factor

The renewed emphasis on critical minerals and technology supply chains reflects wider geopolitical shifts. US policymakers have increasingly framed supply chain diversification as a national security priority, particularly in response to China’s dominant position in rare earths, battery materials and key manufacturing inputs.

India’s expanding industrial base and strategic partnerships position it as a key participant in this realignment. For New Delhi, deeper integration into US-led and allied supply chain initiatives offers access to capital, technology and long-term strategic partnerships, while also strengthening its own economic resilience.

The MGMM Outlook

India’s engagement with the United States during External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit reflects a clear shift toward securing long-term strategic and economic resilience. The emphasis on critical minerals, semiconductor supply chains and advanced technologies highlights how economic security is now inseparable from national security. As global supply chains face increasing geopolitical pressures, India’s deeper integration with trusted partners strengthens its ambition to emerge as a major manufacturing, clean energy and technology hub. Participation in initiatives such as critical minerals cooperation and Pax Silica supports India’s efforts to reduce external vulnerabilities, attract high-value investment and build capacity in sectors that will define future growth and strategic influence.

At the same time, ongoing trade negotiations and discussions on energy, nuclear and defence cooperation underline the complexity of the relationship. While tariff-related tensions and policy differences remain, both countries continue to signal that the strategic partnership is broader than short-term disputes. The push to expand bilateral trade, deepen defence-industrial collaboration and align on supply chain diversification reflects a shared understanding that India-US cooperation is central to shaping a stable Indo-Pacific and a more balanced global economic order. This evolving engagement positions India as a key partner in global realignment efforts, while reinforcing its role in critical technologies, clean energy and strategic manufacturing ecosystems.

(Sources: Hindustan Times, Economic Times, Indian Express)