US envoy Sergio Gor meets key industry leaders to advance US-India collaborations
The US Ambassador to India met industry leaders and government officials to discuss deepening US-India collaboration in advanced manufacturing and technology sectors
Critical minerals emerged as a key focus area for strengthening strategic supply chains between the two countries
A US Assistant Secretary of State highlighted the importance of recycling and recovery as alternative sources of critical minerals, given the shorter development timelines compared to fresh mining
The US-India Business Council hosted a dedicated roundtable on critical minerals recycling and recovery, covering feedstock availability, recovery technologies, standards, traceability and supply-chain gaps
Critical Minerals and India's National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)
Critical minerals are minerals essential for economic development and national security whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption due to geographic concentration of extraction or processing (often in a few countries, notably China). India's Ministry of Mines notified a list of 30 critical minerals in 2023 and the Union Cabinet approved the National Critical Mineral Mission in January 2025.
Key Details
- 30 critical minerals notified include lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, rare earth elements (REE), niobium, tungsten, copper, and titanium, among others
- NCMM (approved January 2025) tasks the Geological Survey of India with roughly 1,200 exploration projects between FY 2024-25 and FY 2030-31
- The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 enabled auction of critical mineral concession/exploration blocks and removed some minerals from the "atomic minerals" category to allow private participation
- India is a member of the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP), a US-led plurilateral grouping to secure critical mineral supply chains
The critical minerals recycling and recovery focus of the US envoy's meetings directly supports NCMM's supply-security goals, offering India and the US an alternative to slower greenfield mining for reducing dependence on concentrated (largely Chinese) processing capacity.
US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) / TRUST
iCET was announced in May 2022 and formally launched in January 2023 as a framework to deepen US-India cooperation in strategic technology areas — semiconductors, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space, defence innovation, biotechnology and critical minerals. It has since been rebranded/expanded as the US-India TRUST Initiative.
Key Details
- Housed institutionally on the Indian side under the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser
- At its inaugural meeting (January 2023), critical minerals, advanced materials and rare-earth processing technology were identified as priority cooperation areas
- Complements the Quad's Critical and Emerging Technology and critical minerals initiatives, given all four Quad members (US, India, Japan, Australia) share concerns about supply-chain concentration
- Distinguishes government-to-government technology dialogue (iCET/TRUST) from business-to-business advocacy platforms like the US-India Business Council (USIBC)
The critical minerals roundtable convened by the ambassador and USIBC operationalises the private-sector dimension of the broader iCET/TRUST cooperation agenda on strategic technologies and minerals.
US-India Business Council (USIBC)
USIBC is a bilateral business advocacy organisation formed in 1975 at the request of the US and Indian governments, representing over 200 top-tier companies from both countries and serving as a direct channel between industry and government leadership.
Key Details
- One of the oldest institutional US-India business bodies, distinct from government-level mechanisms such as the 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue or the Trade Policy Forum
- Regularly convenes sector-specific task forces (e.g., a Critical Minerals Security Task Force) and roundtables to align private investment with strategic priorities
- Complements — but is separate from — the US-India Strategic Trade Dialogue and the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology, which operate at the government-to-government level
The critical minerals recycling and recovery roundtable was convened under USIBC's institutional umbrella, illustrating how business-advocacy platforms translate government-level strategic priorities (like critical mineral security) into industry engagement.
- Critical minerals notified by India's Ministry of Mines: 30 (2023 list)
- National Critical Mineral Mission approved: January 2025, with Geological Survey of India targeting about 1,200 exploration projects (FY 2024-25 to FY 2030-31)
- iCET announced: May 2022; formally launched: January 2023
- USIBC founded: 1975; represents 200-plus US and Indian companies
- Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act: 2023 — enabled critical mineral block auctions