Deal on critical minerals in focus as Goyal leaves for US

Ways to expand and diversify critical minerals supply chains between the US and India will feature during talks between commerce minister Piyush Goyal and his counterpart Gina Raimondo in the US this week.

Goyal is traveling to the US at the invitation of the US secretary of commerce Raimondo between 30 September and 3 October.

Goyal will co-chair, along with Raimondo, the India-USA CEO Forum on 2 October, and the sixth India-USA Commercial Dialogue on 3 October to be held in Washington D.C.

Both sides are expected to discuss “ways to generate sustainable economic growth, improving the business and investment climate and to deepen ties between the Indian and the American business communities,” a trade ministry statement said.

Goyal is expected to meet CEOs of top US and Indian firms, apart from industry leaders, to pitch investment opportunities in India.

His interactions in a US-India Strategic Partnership Forum-organized roundtable will stress on ways to “leverage the complementary strengths and synergies between the economies”.

Goyal is also expected to chair a young business leaders roundtable and the India-US gems and jewelry trade roundtable.

India and the US are negotiating a deal which intends to enhance bilateral collaboration to increase and diversify essential critical mineral supply chains and “leverage their complementary strengths.”

Goyal will also meet USTR ambassador Katherine Tai to discuss the ongoing collaboration under the Trade Policy Forum and ways to further add to two way trade between the two countries.