Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo signed a memorandum of understanding during his visit to the United States last week, in order to strengthen cooperation in, and expand, diversify and strengthen, the supply chains of critical minerals such as lithium and cobalt, which are widely used in the electric vehicle and green product industries.

Although the US Commerce Department said in a statement that the MOU is aimed at building resilience in the sector for each country, it is clear which country the MOU is targeted at. "Priority areas of focus include identifying equipment, services, policies and best practices to facilitate the mutually beneficial commercial development of US and Indian critical minerals exploration, extraction, processing and refining, recycling and recovery," the US Commerce Department said in the statement.

On the other hand, speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington after signing the MOU, Goyal claimed the US and India will need to include third countries in their engagement, including mineral-rich countries in Africa and South America. He also said the US-India multidimensional partnership would include open supply chains for materials, technology development and investment flows to promote green energy.

The content of the US-Vietnam cooperative agreements on rare earths, signed by the two countries during US President Joe Biden's visit to the Southeast Asian country in September last year, is similar. In fact, the agreements were inked shortly after China restricted the export of rare earths, which are used in EV battery, solar panel and semiconductor sectors.

The US, understandably, does not want to put all its eggs in one basket in the face of rising tensions with China. But it is the same group of strategists that are egging the US administration to sign mineral-related deals with Vietnam and India that are responsible for the souring of Sino-US economic and trade relations by urging the US to take protectionist measures, and use bullying tactics and long-arm jurisdiction, citing unfounded national security concerns, against China.

Yet neither India nor Vietnam has earned the US' trust for different reasons. The MOU between Washington and New Delhi falls far short of being a trade deal on critical minerals which would allow India to benefit from the US' $7,500 EV tax credit that Japanese carmakers are entitled to thanks to a trade deal on critical minerals inked by Washington and Tokyo last year.

In Vietnam's case, even more than a year after Biden's visit, the US is still paying lip service to the deal, because it sees Vietnam as a source of cheap labor and critical minerals, which it can use to upgrade its industry and technology, and protect its environment.

Both India and Vietnam are key players in the region. But unlike Japan, India and Vietnam seek to uphold their respective strategic autonomy in dealing with major countries. India and Vietnam have also established stable relations with Russia, China and some other countries which the US sees as a thorn in its side.

The stepmotherly treatment the US reserves for some of its so-called ally countries should awaken them to the fact that it's always better to butter only one side of a bread, and always be aware that the US helps none but itself.