Anand heads to Washington for talks on securing critical minerals supply chains

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is set to meet with international counterparts in Washington on Wednesday as the United States pushes for deeper cooperation to reduce global reliance on China for critical minerals.

The meeting, hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the State Department, will bring together representatives from Europe, Africa and Asia to discuss investment and coordination across critical mineral supply chains. U.S. officials say the talks are aimed at building momentum for collective action to secure access to rare earth elements that are essential for modern manufacturing.

The gathering follows an announcement earlier this week by U.S. President Donald Trump unveiling “Project Vault,” a new strategic reserve of rare earth minerals. The initiative is intended to protect industries such as automotive manufacturing and electronics from supply disruptions and will be backed by a $10 billion loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank, along with nearly $1.67 billion in private investment.

China’s dominant role in rare earth production has become a central concern for Washington, particularly after trade tensions between the two countries escalated last year. Beijing imposed export restrictions on several critical minerals in response to U.S. tariffs, prompting anxiety across global supply chains and renewed efforts by Western allies to diversify sourcing.

Canada has been positioning itself as a reliable partner in that effort. Ottawa has highlighted critical minerals cooperation in discussions with U.S. officials as the bilateral relationship faces strain from American tariffs and ahead of a planned review of the Canada–U.S.–Mexico Agreement later this year. Canada already has a co-investment agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense aimed at accelerating domestic mining projects and strengthening North American supply chains.

While specific expectations for Canada at Wednesday’s meeting have not been outlined publicly, discussions are expected to include pricing mechanisms, sustainable production costs and financing tools. The United States has already signed critical mineral agreements with countries such as Australia and Japan, with additional bilateral deals anticipated.