India's rare earth procurement and refinement sector stands to benefit from a significant boost following the US government's decision to delist Indian Rare Earths Ltd (IREL). IREL, a key player in the sector, could gain from this development, which stems from US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's recent announcement to delist certain Indian entities. This decision is part of the successful implementation of the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement.

This move aligns with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the US Department of Commerce and India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as well as the Ministry of Mines, aimed at enhancing cooperation in the critical minerals supply chain. The partnership will focus on minerals such as graphite, gallium, and germanium, offering new opportunities for collaboration between the two nations.

Additionally, both countries will collaborate on joint research efforts aimed at advancing beneficiation and the co-development of processing technologies for critical minerals, including lithium, titanium, gallium and vanadium. This initiative was outlined in a fact sheet released by the White House following Sullivan's visit to New Delhi.

India and the US are poised to establish a collaborative program between the Geological Survey of India (GSI) and the US Geological Survey (USGS) to explore, characterise and evaluate rare earth elements and critical mineral deposits. This initiative, as outlined by the White House, represents a significant step in strengthening bilateral cooperation in the critical minerals sector.

In addition to this, the two nations will engage in several other major areas of collaboration. One of the highlights is the first-ever joint mission involving US and Indian astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS). The mission, Axiom-4, is set to launch this spring and will mark a key milestone in the US-India human spaceflight partnership, further advancing space exploration efforts between the two countries.

The US and India will also collaborate on the establishment of a new bilateral space accelerator aimed at fostering commercial space cooperation. This initiative will focus on key areas such as lunar exploration, human spaceflight, geospatial data and services, and the co-development of advanced technologies, as detailed in the fact sheet.

Additionally, both countries are preparing for the launch of the NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar (NISAR) satellite this spring. The jointly developed satellite will provide detailed mapping of the Earth's surface, capturing data twice every 12 days. This collaboration marks a significant step in the US-India partnership to address climate change and other global challenges.

In the first half of 2025, the two nations will also hold the first bilateral experts' exchange on space situational awareness and space traffic coordination, further strengthening their cooperation in space-related activities.