Overview
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is scheduled to attend the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial at the US State Department on February 4, hosted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
- Ahead of the trip, Jaishankar met new US Ambassador Sergio Gor in New Delhi, with both noting substantive discussions on defence, trade and critical minerals.
- A bilateral meeting with Secretary Rubio on the margins of the ministerial is expected, building on their January 13 phone call on trade, energy and nuclear cooperation.
- The engagement comes as India seeks progress on a long‑pending trade deal following US tariffs of 50% on Indian goods imposed last August, which have weighed on negotiations.
- Gor has indicated India will be invited to join the US‑led Pax Silica initiative in February, signaling deeper collaboration on semiconductors, AI and critical mineral supply chains.