India on Monday participated in the Finance Ministerial on Securing Critical Minerals Supply Chains hosted by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & IT Ashwini Vaishnaw represented the country in the high-level meeting. New Delhi underlined its strong commitment in building secure and resilient critical mineral supply chains. The meeting focused on ways to diversify and safeguard supplies of key minerals, including rare earth elements.Vaishnaw said strengthening such supply chains is essential for India’s manufacturing growth and its fast-expanding electronics sector. “Participated in the Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting hosted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Strengthening critical mineral supply chains is vital to enhancing the resilience of India’s manufacturing capabilities and rapidly growing electronics sector,” Vaishnaw wrote in a post on X after the meeting. The minister arrived in Washington DC on Sunday and described secure access to critical minerals as crucial to achieving India’s long-term development vision of Viksit Bharat, according to ANI. The Indian Embassy in Washington DC said Vaishnaw highlighted India’s “firm commitment to strengthening and securing critical mineral supply chains,” calling them essential for economic prosperity and resilient manufacturing.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said participants shared a strong desire to address vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains. He added that countries should focus on “prudent de-risking over decoupling” and take decisive steps to fix existing gaps. The US Treasury observed that supply chains for critical minerals have become highly concentrated and vulnerable to disruption and manipulation and urged nations to work together on lasting solutions.The meeting was attended by finance ministers and senior officials from several major economies, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the European Union and the United Kingdom. Senior representatives from the US Trade Representative’s office, the Export-Import Bank of the United States and JPMorgan also made presentations on key focus areas.During his US visit, Vaishnaw also met Michael Kratsios, Assistant to President Donald Trump and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, along with Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra. The discussion focused on preparations for the upcoming India-AI Impact Summit.India will host the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on February 19–20, with a focus on the principles of “People, Planet and Progress.” The summit was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit. It will be the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South.
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