External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to travel to the US next week to attend a high-level critical minerals ministerial meeting hosted by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington DC on February 4, sources said here on Wednesday.The inaugural ministerial meeting, to be held at the US State Department, aims to strengthen global cooperation on building resilient supply chains for critical minerals — including lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth elements — which are vital for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, defence platforms and advanced electronics.India’s participation reflects its expanding role in global supply-chain diversification efforts, particularly as the US and its partners seek to reduce reliance on dominant suppliers, notably China. The meeting is expected to bring together ministers and senior officials from key partner countries to align strategies on resource development, processing and strategic stockpiling.Jaishankar’s visit comes amid heightened diplomatic engagement between New Delhi and Washington. Earlier this month, he held a telephonic conversation with Rubio, during which the two discussed bilateral trade, critical minerals cooperation, nuclear energy, defence and broader energy ties, agreeing to maintain close strategic coordination.Officials said the External Affairs Minister could also hold bilateral talks with Rubio on the margins of the ministerial to further advance cooperation in these sectors and consolidate ties that have recently faced strain due to trade frictions.The visit follows soon after the conclusion of the India-European Union free trade agreement, underscoring India’s active diplomacy across multiple economic and strategic fronts as it engages major global partners on trade, technology and critical infrastructure.Jaishankar’s participation signals New Delhi’s intent to play a shaping role in emerging international frameworks on critical minerals — a key pillar of the global energy transition and future technology supply chains — and highlights the growing strategic depth of India-US cooperation.
