Article
India and the Geo-Economics of Critical Minerals

By : PK Khup Hangzo

Page No: 201-211

Abstract
Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements are vital for high-technology and high-growth sectors. They include, among others, consumer electronics (smart phones, laptops, tablets etc.), clean energy (wind turbines, solar panels, electric vehicles etc.), and defence (jet engines, sonar, radar, surveillance systems etc.). However, critical minerals face the risk of disruption of their supply chains due to growing contestation among the world’s major powers. Any supply disruption could have adverse security impact. It is imperative that India undertake concerted effort to build more diverse and resilient supply chains by developing domestic critical mineral resources, acquiring overseas mining assets, enhancing multilateral co-operation, and exploring new frontiers. Such a multifaceted approach offers the surest way to ensure India’s economic and energy security.

Author
PK Khup Hangzo : PK Khup Hangzo is Associate Fellow at the Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF). His area of research is environment, climate change and national security. Prior to joining VIF, he was a Research Analyst and then an Associate Research Fellow at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore.
 

DOI: http://doi.org/10.32381/NS.2024.07.03.1