New Delhi, Feb. 21 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to meet Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in New Delhi on Saturday to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals and rare earths.

The meeting comes at a time when India has been trying to reduce its dependence on China, the country's top exporter, and has been expanding domestic production and recycling, while simultaneously looking for new suppliers. This is after China holds a near-monopoly on rare earths production.

Brazil possesses the world's second-largest reserves of critical minerals, which are used in modern technologies such as electric vehicles, solar panels, smartphones, jet engines, and guided missiles, AFP reported.

Lula, who is currently in India, arri...