India, US expand strategic ties to critical mineral , SMR N-tech

NEW DELHI: India and the US are expanding bilateral strategic ties to critical minerals as well as nuclear arena by discussing joint development of next-generation small modular reactor (SMR) technology as a means to speed up energy transition.

“The United States enthusiastically welcomes India as the newest partner in the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP), to accelerate the development of diverse and sustainable critical energy minerals supply chains globally,” a joint statement issued after prime minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with president Joe Biden in Washington on Friday said.

MSP was created in 2021 as a bulwark against China’s use of its near-total control over the supply chain for coercive diplomacy.