US Critical Minerals Meet: India Included, Pakistan Left Out

Global Critical Minerals Conference: India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to participate.

Washington: In a significant diplomatic signal, Pakistan has been excluded from the Global Critical Minerals Conference scheduled in Washington (US) on February 4, even as India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is set to participate.

The high-level meeting, convened by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, aims to forge strategic partnerships on critical and rare earth minerals amid rising global supply-chain pressures and growing concern over China’s dominance in the sector.

More than a dozen like-minded economies have been invited — but Pakistan is notably absent.

🚨 BIG! Pakistan excluded from the Critical Minerals Conference in Washington on Feb 4, while India’s EAM S. Jaishankar attends🤣

— From begging tables to being shut out of strategic forums, Pakistan watches from the sidelines

pic.twitter.com/aLX4KoaFDL

— The Analyzer (News Updates🗞️) (@Indian_Analyzer) February 1, 2026

From Mineral Diplomacy to Diplomatic Cold Shoulder

Last year, Islamabad mounted a high-profile push to project itself as a key player in the global minerals race. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir reportedly presented a collection of rare-earth samples to former US President Donald Trump at the White House, seeking to highlight Pakistan’s untapped resource potential.

Pakistan also signed agreements reportedly worth up to $500 million with US firms, including US Strategic Metals, for the exploration and export of antimony, copper, gold, tungsten and rare earth elements — all vital for defence and high-technology industries.

Despite these overtures, Islamabad has failed to secure a place at the Washington summit.

Why Pakistan Was Overlooked

Analysts say the exclusion reflects broader US concerns about political reliability, governance stability, and long-term investment security, rather than mineral reserves alone.

While Pakistan has attempted to use strategic resources as diplomatic leverage, Washington remains cautious amid the country’s persistent political volatility, economic fragility, and civil–military power struggles.

Moreover, Pakistan’s mineral diplomacy is viewed more as a strategic outreach tool than as part of a mature, integrated supply-chain framework — limiting its appeal to US allies seeking dependable partners.

India’s Contrasting Trajectory

India, by contrast, has steadily positioned itself as a trusted supply-chain partner, aligning its critical minerals policy with global diversification efforts and deepening cooperation with the US and other strategic allies.

Its inclusion at the conference highlights New Delhi’s growing role in efforts to reduce global dependence on China for rare earths and other critical materials.

Beyond Minerals: The Geopolitical Message

For Pakistan, critical minerals were meant to anchor a shift from security-centric diplomacy toward economic geopolitics. By advertising its resource wealth and courting Western investment, Islamabad hoped to redefine its strategic relevance.

However, its absence from a forum bringing together key US partners underscores a clear message: natural resources alone are not enough. Stable governance, transparent policies, and trusted long-term commitments remain central to Washington’s strategic calculus.