India and Myanmar signal closer rare earth mining ties

India and Myanmar are working to deepen cooperation in the rare earths sector after visits to the southeast Asian country by Indian teams, ​with New Delhi seeking alternative supplies of a strategic resource ‌tightly controlled by China.

In a speech on Wednesday at the opening of a mining forum in Mandalay, India’s Ambassador to Myanmar Abhay Thakur outlined the growing bilateral collaboration ​between the two countries on rare earths.

Cooperation in the mining sector ​has gained significant momentum over the last two years, Thakur ⁠said.

This includes two Indian delegations on rare earths and critical minerals that ​have visited Myanmar in December 2024 and February 2026, he said.

The matter ​has also received high-level attention during a official visit by junta chief turned president Min Aung Hlaing to India in May-June, according to Thakur.

Thakur said, “India’s need for harnessing critical ​minerals, coupled with the benefits to Myanmar from sustainable mining, presents solid, ​win-win, short and long-term opportunities.”

Nearly half the world’s supply of heavy rare earths is ‌extracted ⁠from mines in Myanmar’s Kachin state, which are then shipped to China for processing into magnets that power electronic vehicles and wind turbines, Reuters has reported.

Reuters previously also reported that India has sought rare-earth samples via the rebel Kachin ​Independence Army (KIA), which controls Myanmar’s ​main mining hubs, ⁠near the Chinese border.

At the Mandalay mining forum, Thakur said the Indian firms in attendance include IREL, NTPC ​Mining, Himadri Specialty, Oceanic Sands, PrNd Metal & Magnets, and ​Jai Puri ⁠Holdings.

Thakur also said that “Midwest from India” has also closely engaged with Myanmar in recent months and years, without specifying the nature of the involvement.

Reuters has previously reported ⁠that ​the state-owned miner IREL and private firm Midwest ​Advanced Materials were among those involved in discussions to explore the collection and transportation of ​samples from mines under KIA control.

(Reporting by Reuters Staff; Editing by David Stanway)