US trade advocacy body forms task force on India-US critical mineral cooperation

📌 Summary:

• The US-India Business Council (USIBC) launched a Critical Minerals Security Task Force, days after India and the US signed a bilateral Critical Minerals Framework
• The task force aims to deepen cooperation across critical-mineral supply chains, with five priority engagement areas identified
• Driver: China controls ~90% of global critical-mineral processing and uses it as leverage in trade disputes; in 2024 China's licensing regime choked rare-earth magnet exports, hitting Indian industry
• Both India and the US are heavily dependent on imports to meet domestic critical-mineral demand

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS2 IR / GS3 — supply-chain security, India-US cooperation, reducing China dependence, rare earths

📝 Prelims Facts:

• USIBC = US-India Business Council
• India-US Critical Minerals Framework recently signed (MoU at Hyderabad House)
• China controls ~90% of global critical-mineral processing

🔑 Key Term: Critical minerals — minerals (e.g., rare earths, lithium, cobalt) vital for clean energy, electronics and defence, with concentrated and supply-risk-prone sourcing.