Event Report on the “India-Japan Economic Security Conference on Strengthening Critical Mineral Supply Chains through Recycling”
2026/8/22
On Friday, 21 August 2026, the Embassy of Japan in India, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment, Government of Japan, hosted the “India-Japan Economic Security Conference on Strengthening Critical Mineral Supply Chains through Recycling”.
In recent years, ensuring the diversification and resilience of critical mineral supply chains has become an increasingly important economic security challenge. In particular, the recovery and recycling of critical minerals contained in e-waste are gaining importance as alternative sources of critical minerals. In India as well, establishing an ecosystem that promotes the recovery and recycling of critical minerals has become an urgent priority.
To address these challenges, the Embassy of Japan in India invited representatives from both the public and private sectors to participate in panel discussions on promoting critical mineral recycling. The event also featured one-on-one business matchmaking sessions among participating companies from Japan, India, and like-minded partner countries with the aim of fostering greater collaboration among industry stakeholders.
In May 2026, the “QUAD Critical Minerals Initiative Framework”, issued at the Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in New Delhi, affirmed the commitment of the QUAD partners (The United States, Japan, Australia, and India) to cooperate on the recovery and recycling of critical minerals. Furthermore, in July 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi and Prime Minister Modi, in the “Japan-India Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation” issued on the occasion of the Japan-India Leaders’ Meeting, announced that Japan and India would establish an ecosystem by facilitating the collection and recycling of e-waste to enhance the recovery of critical minerals across relevant supply chains. This conference is fully aligned with the direction of cooperation set forth by the Governments of Japan and India as well as the QUAD partners.
The conference brought together representatives from more than 65 companies, including companies from Japan and India, with approximately 130 participants in attendance. Active discussions and business matching sessions were held throughout the event. It is expected that the conference will further strengthen collaboration among companies in Japan, India, and like-minded partner countries and contribute, through recycling, to addressing the shared challenge of diversifying and strengthening the resilience of critical mineral supply chains.
In recent years, ensuring the diversification and resilience of critical mineral supply chains has become an increasingly important economic security challenge. In particular, the recovery and recycling of critical minerals contained in e-waste are gaining importance as alternative sources of critical minerals. In India as well, establishing an ecosystem that promotes the recovery and recycling of critical minerals has become an urgent priority.
To address these challenges, the Embassy of Japan in India invited representatives from both the public and private sectors to participate in panel discussions on promoting critical mineral recycling. The event also featured one-on-one business matchmaking sessions among participating companies from Japan, India, and like-minded partner countries with the aim of fostering greater collaboration among industry stakeholders.
In May 2026, the “QUAD Critical Minerals Initiative Framework”, issued at the Japan-Australia-India-U.S. (Quad) Foreign Ministers' Meeting held in New Delhi, affirmed the commitment of the QUAD partners (The United States, Japan, Australia, and India) to cooperate on the recovery and recycling of critical minerals. Furthermore, in July 2026, Prime Minister Takaichi and Prime Minister Modi, in the “Japan-India Joint Declaration on Economic Security Cooperation” issued on the occasion of the Japan-India Leaders’ Meeting, announced that Japan and India would establish an ecosystem by facilitating the collection and recycling of e-waste to enhance the recovery of critical minerals across relevant supply chains. This conference is fully aligned with the direction of cooperation set forth by the Governments of Japan and India as well as the QUAD partners.
The conference brought together representatives from more than 65 companies, including companies from Japan and India, with approximately 130 participants in attendance. Active discussions and business matching sessions were held throughout the event. It is expected that the conference will further strengthen collaboration among companies in Japan, India, and like-minded partner countries and contribute, through recycling, to addressing the shared challenge of diversifying and strengthening the resilience of critical mineral supply chains.