India, Australia, Japan and the United States on Tuesday unveiled the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative Framework, aimed to support the development of secure critical minerals supply chains, which are essential for advanced technologies, economic growth, and the resilience of our industrial bases. .
The framework sets out key areas for cooperation among the Quad partners on critical minerals supply chains giving due regard for each partner’s domestic policies and priorities.
Through the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, Quad partners intend to work together to use economic policy tools and coordinated investment to accelerate the development of diversified and fair critical mineral markets and support the supply of critical minerals that are crucial to our region’s economic growth and security.
This framework sets out key areas for cooperation among the Quad partners on critical minerals supply chains giving due regard for each partner’s domestic policies and priorities.
Under the initiative, the Quad countries intend to mobilise up to USD 20 billion in government and private sector support through new and existing mechanisms to strengthen critical minerals supply chains, including mining, processing and recycling projects.
The framework stated that the Quad partners will identify projects with a “Quad nexus”, including projects located in Quad countries, operated by companies headquartered in Quad nations, or supplying Quad markets, to address critical supply chain gaps.
The countries also plan to support strategic critical minerals projects through export credit agencies, development finance institutions, private capital mobilisation and other public support tools such as guarantees, loans, equity participation, insurance, subsidies and commercial arrangements.
As part of efforts to improve the overall regulatory environment, the Quad partners will share best practices related to permitting, licensing and regulatory processes, while also cooperating on geological mapping, resource assessment and technology development.
The framework further emphasised the need to address non-market policies and unfair trade practices through coordinated measures, including high-standard marketplaces and price mechanisms, wherever feasible and in line with domestic laws.
In a major push towards sustainability and circular economy practices, the Quad nations also agreed to strengthen cooperation in recycling and recovery of critical minerals from e-waste and scrap materials.
The initiative includes promoting investments in recycling technologies, improving collection and recovery systems, encouraging innovation in e-waste processing and exploring streamlined export-import procedures for waste and scrap materials among Quad countries.
The framework was announced alongside the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting attended by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi.
