As India intensifies its quest for secure and diversified sources of critical minerals, its long-standing strategic partnership with Russia could play a key role.
StratNewsGlobal learns that critical minerals will be high on the agenda when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin, meet later this year.
“Critical minerals are vital for India’s high-tech future, and our countries share a strong interest in building a reliable framework for cooperation in this space,” Russia’s Ambassador Denis Alipov, told StratNewsGlobal.
He said Russian enterprises are not only ready to partner with Indian firms in Russia, but also in joint exploration projects across Asia and Africa.
Russia is home to around 22% of rare earth elements, making it the world’s fifth largest. The US Geological Survey says it has about 3.8 million metric tons of rare earths, but Russia says that figure is only the reserves currently under development.
Russia says it has a staggering 28.7 million tons comprising no less than 15 rare earth metals. But domestic demand is low and competition from China prevented any substantial investment.
But given growing worldwide demand and China playing hooky with the rare earths supply chain, President Putin has termed the sector as a priority. India and Russia have been stepping up discussions through various high-level platforms.
At the 9th meeting of the Subgroup on Mining held in November 2024, critical minerals emerged as a key theme. Follow-up discussions in June 2025 during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum between Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk and India’s Minister for Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, reinforced the strategic understanding in this regard.
Tech-Driven Exploration and Co-Development
Earlier this week, the 10th meeting of the India-Russia Subgroup on Mining focused on enhancing cooperation in the aluminium sector, joint sourcing of rare earth elements, and collaborative projects in mining and geological exploration.
Among the areas being identified are AI-powered exploration techniques and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles for mineral surveys. An MoU is expected to be signed in the coming months.
Three months back, India’s Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology of the CSIR (CSIR-IMMT) signed strategic agreements with two leading Russian research bodies: JSC Giredmet—part of Rosatom—which specialises in the development of new materials based on rare metals, and the National Institute of Science & Technology which specialises in steelmaking and mettalurgy.
These agreements aim to advance R&D in sustainable mineral processing, resource efficiency, and cutting-edge extraction technologies, further anchoring science and technology as pillars of the India-Russia mineral alliance.
Looking Ahead: From Dialogue to Delivery
India’s ambitions to emerge as a hub for clean energy and advanced manufacturing require assured access to critical minerals. With Russia’s vast reserves and technical know-how, the partnership holds significant potential.
Officials suggest that the leaders’ meeting later this year could formalize new agreements that not only secure India’s supply chains but also support Russia’s move toward deeper economic engagement with Asian partners.
The shared geopolitical and economic calculus makes this cooperation more than transactional—it reflects a strategic alignment rooted in mutual resilience and long-term development.
