"India can rival China in talent and scale": US Under Secy Helberg on Critical Minerals Partnership

By Reena Bharadwaj
Washington DC [US], February 7 : Highlighting India's growing strategic importance in global supply chains, US Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg on Friday (local time) said that New Delhi is uniquely positioned to rival China in terms of scale and human capital.
He also confirmed that India has been invited to join the Pax Silica initiative.
"Outside of China, India is probably the only other country on Earth to be able to rival China with respect to the breadth and depth of the sheer volume of young, technically trained talent," Helberg said while speaking at the Critical Minerals Ministerial press conference.
Responding to a question on India's absence from the initial group of Pax Silica countries, Helberg said it was not an oversight, noting that the initiative was signed in December and discussions on India's participation advanced quickly thereafter.
"By January, we had already had a meeting of the minds around India joining Pax Silica," he said, adding that the pace of engagement with Indian partners has been positive.
Helberg said he will travel to India later this month for a major signing with the Indian government, signalling deeper cooperation in the critical minerals sector.
Describing India and the United States as two very large countries, Helberg said alignment can take time due to scale, but stressed the strategic importance of the partnership. He noted that the US is the world's largest economy, while India is the world's most populous country and has a young, rapidly growing economy.
Highlighting India's resource base, Helberg noted that the country is home to large-scale mining and processing operations with significant potential to strengthen global supply chains.
He also referred to improving bilateral ties, noting strong positive momentum in the relationship and citing the close ties between US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a factor supporting deeper economic and strategic cooperation.
India has extended its support to the Forum on Resource, Geostrategic Engagement (FORGE), a newly launched initiative unveiled at the inaugural Critical Minerals Ministerial, which succeeds the US-led Mineral Security Partnership, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar told ANI on the sidelines of the ministerial in Washington DC.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday (local time) in Washington, DC, the EAM, who is on a three-day visit to the US capital, said the primary purpose of his trip was to attend the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which included participation from over 50 countries.
He described the discussions at the ministerial as productive and outcome-oriented, highlighting the growing importance of critical minerals in global supply chains.
During his visit, Jaishankar also held bilateral meetings with Rubio and US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, noting that, with several foreign ministers in Washington, there were multiple informal interactions and pull-aside discussions to review the state of bilateral ties.