From left, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during the Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, in New Delhi. | Photo Credit: -

Countering China’s tight grip on global supplies of critical minerals, Quad partners India, the US, Australia, and Japan have signed a framework to mobilise up to $20 billion to strengthen supply chains across mining, processing, and recycling.

“The Quad partners intend to support the development of secure critical minerals supply chains, which are essential for advanced technologies, economic growth, and the resilience of our industrial bases,” a statement on the `Quad critical minerals initiative framework’ issued by the MEA on Tuesday said.

The four countries intend to work together to use economic policy tools and coordinated investment to accelerate the development of diversified and fair critical mineral markets and support the supply of critical minerals that are crucial to our region’s economic growth and security, it added.

The framework was finalised at the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi hosted by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and attended by Foreign Minister of Australia Penny Wong, Foreign Minister of Japan Toshimitsu Motegi, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Without referring directly to China’s restrictions on supplies of rare earth and other critical elements that has affected hi-tech manufacturing world-wide, the statement noted that the Quad policies and unfair trade practices,” such as high standards marketplaces, price mechanisms, or other measures.

The countries agreed to improve the overall environment for critical minerals development through actions such as sharing, where appropriate, information on good practices and technical approaches to permitting, licensing, and regulatory processes, including measures to accelerate or streamline permitting timelines and processes.

They also decided to cooperate on technology development and capacity building related to geological mapping and resource assessment.

The Quad partners intended mobilisation of $20 billion will be through both government and private sector support, including new and existing efforts through a number of identified actions, the statement noted.

These include identifying projects with a Quad nexus, such as those located in Quad partner countries, operated by companies headquartered in Quad partner countries, or supplying Quad markets, that address critical mineral supply chain gaps.

The countries also seek to support strategic critical minerals projects, including through export credit agencies, development finance institutions, mobilisation of private capital, or other public supporting tools, such as guarantees, loans, equity participation, insurance, subsidies, and offtake or other commercial arrangements.

Also on the agenda is exploring new mechanisms to help mobilise private capital and strengthen critical minerals supply chains in Quad partner countries and regionally.

Published on May 26, 2026