India And Myanmar Deepen Rare Earths Mining Cooperation

29 Jul 2026 CW Team

At a mining forum in Mandalay India's Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur, described growing bilateral cooperation and said the engagement had gained momentum over the last two years. He noted two Indian delegations on rare earths and critical minerals visited Myanmar in December 2024 and February 2026 and that the matter received high-level attention during a visit to India by junta chief turned president Min Aung Hlaing in May to June.

Nearly half of the world's heavy rare earths are extracted from mines in Myanmar’s Kachin state and then shipped to China for processing into magnet components, according to reporting by Reuters. Previous reporting indicated India has sought samples via the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which controls main mining hubs near the Chinese border, raising questions about logistics and security for sample collection.

Indian participants at the Mandalay forum included Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), NTPC Mining, Himadri Specialty, Oceanic Sands, PrNd Metal & Magnets and Jai Puri Holdings, according to official remarks. Officials also said Midwest Advanced Materials from India has engaged closely with Myanmar in recent months, while details of private sector roles and the precise nature of engagement remain subject to further clarification.

Government and industry sources framed the collaboration as offering short and long term opportunities for both countries, combining India’s need for critical minerals with potential benefits from sustainable mining in Myanmar. Observers said implementation will require agreements on sample access, transportation and processing capacity, along with attention to environmental standards and local governance at extraction sites.

India and Myanmar are moving to deepen collaboration in the rare earths mining sector after visits by Indian technical teams to Myanmar, reflecting New Delhi's search for alternative sources of a strategic resource that is largely processed in China. Officials said the initiative responds to global supply concentration and aims to secure inputs for magnets used in electric vehicles and wind turbines. At a mining forum in Mandalay India's Ambassador to Myanmar, Abhay Thakur, described growing bilateral cooperation and said the engagement had gained momentum over the last two years. He noted two Indian delegations on rare earths and critical minerals visited Myanmar in December 2024 and February 2026 and that the matter received high-level attention during a visit to India by junta chief turned president Min Aung Hlaing in May to June. Nearly half of the world's heavy rare earths are extracted from mines in Myanmar’s Kachin state and then shipped to China for processing into magnet components, according to reporting by Reuters. Previous reporting indicated India has sought samples via the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), which controls main mining hubs near the Chinese border, raising questions about logistics and security for sample collection. Indian participants at the Mandalay forum included Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), NTPC Mining, Himadri Specialty, Oceanic Sands, PrNd Metal & Magnets and Jai Puri Holdings, according to official remarks. Officials also said Midwest Advanced Materials from India has engaged closely with Myanmar in recent months, while details of private sector roles and the precise nature of engagement remain subject to further clarification. Government and industry sources framed the collaboration as offering short and long term opportunities for both countries, combining India’s need for critical minerals with potential benefits from sustainable mining in Myanmar. Observers said implementation will require agreements on sample access, transportation and processing capacity, along with attention to environmental standards and local governance at extraction sites.

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