India, U.K. launch observatory to expand critical minerals partnership

India, U.K. launch observatory to expand critical minerals partnership

Seeking to expand cooperation and technology-sharing in the realm of critical minerals, India and the United Kingdom on Thursday formally launched the Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory (GSCO).

The observatory was first announced during U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to India in October last year with an objective to “expand mineral coverage, further integrate advanced technologies and unlock new bilateral investment opportunities”.

The platform — to be jointly operated by India’s Technology Innovation in Exploration & Mining Foundation (TEXMiN), Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad and U.K.’s University of Cambridge — will institute a data-driven platform to monitor and analyse global critical mineral supply chains.

In a social media post, Union Minister for Mines and Minerals G. Kishan Reddy wrote, “This is a major step towards strengthening critical mineral supply chains, supporting clean energy transitions, and building resilient global supply chains through the India–U.K. partnership.”

Minister meets official

Meanwhile, during a meeting with visiting British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper on Thursday, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said India and the U.K. were well-positioned to construct a new future-oriented and mutually beneficial partnership on the back of their newly firmed-up comprehensive trade deal and the defence industrial road map. Mr. Jaishankar said both sides “reviewed ongoing progress in our cooperation focusing on trade, technology, supply chains, defence, climate, education and people to people ties. Also spoke about new opportunities in clean energy, AI and critical minerals”.

The two sides also exchanged views on global developments including in Ukraine, West Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

In his remarks, Mr. Jaishankar also highlighted the “remarkable developments” in the bilateral ties in recent months while pointing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.K. last July, followed by U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's trip to India in October.

Ms. Cooper also met Mr. Modi. “Appreciated the deepening of the India-UK partnership in recent times that has unlocked unprecedented growth opportunities for both our countries,” Mr. Modi said on social media.

Ms. Cooper emphasised greater access to critical minerals and improved information-sharing would be mutually beneficial to both countries. According to the announcement readout, Ms. Cooper stated the observatory could also serve “as a foundation for broader cooperation across the critical minerals sector and related strategic industries.”