Intro: India has strengthened international partnerships to secure critical minerals and semiconductor supply chains, supporting long-term industrial and energy security goals.
New Delhi
India has significantly expanded its international engagement to secure reliable access to critical minerals and strengthen semiconductor supply chains, signing strategic cooperation agreements with 24 countries while continuing negotiations with 11 others over the past two years. The initiative reflects the government’s long-term strategy to reduce dependence on limited sources of essential raw materials and strengthen India’s position in emerging global industries.
According to the Ministry of Mines, the country has built a broad network of partnerships across North America, Europe, Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Australia. These collaborations are designed not only to ensure access to mineral resources but also to promote cooperation in exploration, mining, processing, technology transfer, investment, and the development of resilient supply chains capable of withstanding global disruptions.
India has already established cooperation frameworks with major economies and resource-rich nations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Israel, Vietnam, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Russia. These partnerships focus on securing strategic minerals such as lithium, cobalt, copper, and rare earth elements while also promoting collaboration in semiconductor technologies, energy security, and industrial investments.
In addition to existing agreements, India is actively negotiating with Chile, Peru, Zambia, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Myanmar, and Indonesia to expand cooperation in the exploration and supply of lithium, copper, rare earth elements, and other critical mineral resources. These discussions aim to diversify sourcing channels and reduce vulnerabilities arising from concentrated global production.
A major component of India’s strategy involves strengthening its domestic semiconductor ecosystem. Partnerships with leading technology nations, including Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, and the United States, are expected to support the development of advanced chip manufacturing capabilities within India. These collaborations are also intended to integrate the country more effectively into global semiconductor value chains, helping meet growing domestic demand while enhancing export opportunities.
Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements play a vital role in modern industries. They are essential for manufacturing electric vehicle batteries, renewable energy storage systems, wind turbines, solar infrastructure, defence equipment, aerospace technologies, and advanced electronic devices. As countries worldwide accelerate clean energy transitions and digital transformation, securing stable supplies of these resources has become a strategic necessity.
