India at G7 critical mineral meet: Vaishnaw says boosting supply chains key to economic resilience – Firstpost

As China continues to maintain a dominant grip over critical minerals, India has entered high-level discussions in Washington, signalling closer alignment with the US and G7 economies as they seek to reduce dependence on China-led supply chains.

Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw arrived in Washington DC on Sunday to attend a critical minerals ministerial meeting hosted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The meeting is being held on the sidelines of a gathering of G7 finance ministers — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US — along with the European Union. India and Australia have also been invited.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD

Arrived in Washington, D.C.
Will participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting tomorrow.

Secure critical mineral supply chains are vital for our goal of Viksit Bharat. pic.twitter.com/grXbs7HA6S

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 11, 2026More from World Ashwini Vaishnaw arrives in Washington for US-hosted critical minerals meeting US to urge G7 and partners to cut reliance on China for critical minerals

“Arrived in Washington, DC. Will participate in the Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting tomorrow. Secure critical mineral supply chains are vital for our goal of Viksit Bharat,” Vaishnaw mentioned in a social media post.

G7 push to widen coordination

Bessent reported on Saturday that India, Australia and several other countries would join the discussions, underscoring Washington’s push to expand coordination beyond advanced economies. He added that he had been advocating for a dedicated G7 dialogue on critical minerals since last summer’s leaders’ summit, citing what he described as China’s weaponisation of supply chains.

G7 finance ministers had already held a virtual meeting on the issue in December, he mentioned.

China’s grip on refining

According to the International Energy Agency, China dominates global refining of most major critical minerals — including copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and rare earth elements — with an average exchange share of around 70 percent. The agency has also flagged China’s control over downstream components such as manganese sulphate and phosphoric acid, key inputs for batteries and advanced manufacturing.

This concentration has emerged as a strategic vulnerability for Western economies, particularly as demand for critical minerals accelerates due to the energy transition and the rapid expansion of AI-led data centres.

India’s role beyond the Quad

India is also set to join the US-led Pax Silica initiative ahead of an artificial intelligence summit to be hosted by New Delhi. Although India is a Quad partner, it was not initially included in Pax Silica, which currently includes the US, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, Israel, the UAE and Australia.

India will also participate in another US meeting on critical minerals ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Impact Summit scheduled in New Delhi on February 19–20, according to Economic Times.

Quick Reads

View All

London’s murder rate lowest on record: Police chief takes a dig at Musk, Trump amid ‘crazy polarised debate’

Inside Merz-Modi car pool: Trump’s US unreliable, India and Europe rejig ties for new world order

US has a Pakistan angle

Separately, the US maintains a distinct engagement with Pakistan on critical minerals, an initiative that has contributed to closer political ties between Washington and Islamabad.

HomeWorldIndia at G7 critical mineral meet: Vaishnaw says boosting supply chains key to economic resilienceEnd of Article