Critical minerals, AI, nuclear ties take centre stage as Jaishankar, Rubio review India-US partnership

What Happened

• The External Affairs Minister and the US Secretary of State held comprehensive bilateral discussions in New Delhi on May 24, 2026, covering critical minerals, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, trade, defence, and counter-terrorism.
• The talks reviewed progress under the bilateral technology partnership framework and discussed pathways to finalise a pending trade agreement, with the US side indicating the deal was on the "verge" of conclusion.
• The meetings were held on the sidelines of the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting hosted by India in New Delhi on May 26, 2026, at which Australia, India, Japan, and the United States issued a joint statement and a Critical Minerals Initiative Framework pledging up to $20 billion in government and private-sector support for critical mineral supply chains.

Static Topic Bridges

India's Critical Minerals Framework and the MMDR Amendment Act, 2023

India's approach to securing critical minerals rests on two pillars: domestic regulatory reform and international supply-chain partnerships. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 amended the MMDR Act, 1957 by inserting 24 critical and strategic minerals into Part D of Schedule I and empowering the Central Government exclusively to auction critical mineral blocks. In July 2023, the Ministry of Mines notified a list of 30 critical minerals — including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, rare earth elements (REE), titanium, and vanadium — essential to electric vehicles, clean energy, defence electronics, and semiconductor manufacturing. The first tranche of auctions for 20 critical mineral blocks was launched on November 29, 2023.

iCET / TRUST: India-US Technology Partnership Framework

The India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) was launched by the two countries during the Quad Summit in May 2022 and held its inaugural meeting on January 31, 2023, in Washington, D.C., led by the respective National Security Advisors. iCET was designed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, semiconductors, advanced wireless telecommunications (5G/6G), and biotechnology. The initiative has since evolved into the Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology (TRUST) framework, which retains iCET's original focus areas and expands into critical mineral supply chains, energy technologies, and space.

India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement (123 Agreement), 2008

The India-US Civil Nuclear Agreement, commonly called the "123 Agreement" (named after Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954, which requires the US to conclude such agreements before nuclear cooperation), was signed in 2008 after years of negotiations. The deal required India to separate its civilian and military nuclear facilities, place civilian reactors under permanent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards, sign an Additional Protocol enabling enhanced inspections, and maintain a voluntary moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. In return, the US agreed to full civilian nuclear cooperation and worked to secure an India-specific waiver from the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which was granted on September 6, 2008. The agreement made India the only non-NPT signatory permitted to conduct civilian nuclear commerce internationally.

Quad and the Indo-Pacific Multilateral Architecture

The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), comprising Australia, India, Japan, and the United States, is an informal strategic grouping focused on maintaining a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. Revived at leader level in 2021, the Quad has institutionalised ministerial meetings and working groups on vaccines, climate, infrastructure, cybersecurity, maritime security, and — most recently — critical minerals and undersea cable security. The May 26, 2026, Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi issued a joint statement, a Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework (pledging up to $20 billion), and a Quad Statement on Indo-Pacific Energy Security.

Key Facts & Data

• India's critical minerals list: 30 minerals notified (July 2023)
• MMDR Amendment Act, 2023: Central Government given exclusive auction authority for critical minerals
• iCET inaugural meeting: January 31, 2023, Washington, D.C.
• 123 Agreement signed: October 8, 2008; NSG waiver: September 6, 2008
• India-US trade deal framework: Interim Agreement framework agreed February 7, 2026; next talks round June 1–4, 2026
• Quad Critical Minerals Initiative: up to $20 billion pledged (May 26, 2026)
• Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting hosted by India: May 26, 2026, New Delhi