India is in discussions with several countries to explore, process, and recycle critical minerals such as lithium and rare earths.
The move comes amid concerns over China’s dominance in rare earth supply chains and recent export curbs.
New Delhi is simultaneously pushing domestic mining and processing through proposed Rare Earth Corridors.
India is in talks with multiple countries, including Brazil, Canada, France, and the Netherlands, over deals to explore, extract, process, and recycle critical minerals, Reuters reported, citing sources.
Amid rising worries over critical minerals supply and unforeseen supply chain disruptions, the move signals global outreach to secure supplies. According to the report, the focus is currently likely on lithium and rare earths, with India also seeking access to cutting-edge technology in mineral processing.
3 February 2026
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Currently, China holds a near-monopoly in the global supply of rare earth minerals. Amid rising tussles between Washington and Beijing, China, in October, tightened its grip on rare earth exports, pushing global supply chains toward disruption.
Rare earth minerals are critical for evolving energy requirements, electric vehicles, modern technology, and defence systems. India’s increasing reliance on Chinese exports of rare earths has raised the need for New Delhi to diversify its sources, much like its energy imports, as it seeks to accelerate its energy transition to cut emissions, the report said, quoting mining experts.
In January, India signed a bilateral trade deal with Germany to boost trade and strengthen economic partnership, with objectives to collaborate more closely on critical minerals, semiconductors, and renewable cooperation.
As per the report, India is aiming to secure similar deals with other countries covering exploration, processing, recycling, and the acquisition and development of mineral assets. “There are requests, and we are talking to France, the Netherlands, and Brazil, while the agreement with Canada is under active consideration,” Reuters reported the source as saying.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is reportedly likely to visit India in early March and is expected to sign deals on uranium, energy, minerals, and artificial intelligence. India currently has pacts inked with other major economies, including Argentina and Australia, for critical mineral sourcing. India is also in talks with Peru and Chile on broader bilateral trade that also covers critical minerals, the report said.
India is also actively pushing toward becoming self-reliant in the exploration and processing of critical minerals. India has identified over 20 minerals, including lithium, as “critical” for its energy transition and to meet domestic industry and infrastructure demands. In the Union Budget 2026, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced measures to make India self-sufficient in procuring critical minerals by establishing dedicated ‘Rare Earth Corridors.’
The Rare Earth Corridors will be established in several states, spanning Odisha, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, with a focus on end-to-end mining, processing, and manufacturing. Earlier in 2025, amid supply chain disruptions, the Centre also announced a Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPM) with an outlay of ₹7,280 crore over five years.
