India and Russia are in advanced discussions to sign a preliminary agreement on critical minerals cooperation, as New Delhi intensifies efforts to secure long-term supplies of strategic resources needed for clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and infrastructure development.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the proposed pact is expected to focus on lithium and rare earth elements, while also covering exploration, processing, and technological collaboration between the two countries. The agreement could reportedly be finalized within the next two months.
The discussions are being led by India’s Ministry of Mines as the country seeks to reduce dependence on China, which currently dominates global critical mineral supply chains and processing technologies. India has been actively pursuing overseas mineral partnerships to secure resources essential for electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, electronics manufacturing, and battery production.
Sources indicated that both governments may also facilitate corporate investments under the proposed framework, enabling Indian and Russian companies to jointly participate in mining, refining, and mineral-processing projects.
India has already signed critical minerals agreements with countries including Argentina, Australia, and Japan, while discussions are also underway with Peru and Chile. However, analysts note that India has so far achieved limited success in converting overseas agreements into operational mining projects.
The planned partnership with Russia comes amid growing global competition for access to critical minerals, particularly lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths, which are considered vital for the global energy transition. Governments worldwide are increasingly seeking to diversify supply chains and reduce vulnerability to geopolitical disruptions.
Industry experts believe Russia’s significant reserves of lithium and rare earth minerals could help India strengthen raw material security while also gaining access to advanced processing and metallurgical technologies. Discussions are also reportedly linked to broader cooperation in magnet manufacturing and advanced material processing.
One source also suggested that India may revisit participation in a lithium exploration project in Mali linked to Russian state nuclear company Rosatom if political and security conditions improve in the African nation. India had earlier stepped back from the project due to security concerns.
The proposed pact reflects India’s broader strategy to build resilient supply chains for critical minerals as demand continues to rise across electric mobility, renewable energy, defense manufacturing, and high-tech industries.