India’s Critical Mineral Imperative
As India accelerates its transition to clean energy, electric mobility, and advanced manufacturing, the demand for critical minerals—such as lithium, cobalt, rare earth elements, and uranium—has surged. These minerals form the backbone of solar panels, batteries, semiconductors, and defence technologies. However, the supply chains for these minerals remain highly concentrated, particularly under China's near-monopoly on rare earth processing. In this context, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s five-nation tour—including Ghana, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina, and Namibia—marks a crucial step in India’s evolving “mineral diplomacy” aimed at securing long-term, diversified access to these strategic resources.
Strengthening Supply Through Strategic Partnerships
PM Modi’s outreach is not just symbolic; it’s grounded in tangible resource interests. Ghana, for example, is rich in rare earths and lithium—essential to electric vehicle (EV) batteries. During his visit to Accra, Modi signed a landmark agreement on rare earth exploration and development, offering India a more direct stake in upstream mineral supply.
Similarly, Namibia—part of Modi’s upcoming itinerary—holds large reserves of uranium, lithium, and cobalt. Discussions with Namibian leadership are expected to focus on bilateral arrangements for mining and direct export of these resources to India, reducing India’s reliance on intermediaries such as European trading hubs. This move may also revitalise India’s diamond industry, which has experienced a recent slump, by opening up a direct channel to Namibia’s vast marine diamond deposits.
Brics Summit: Modi’s Subtle Message to China
At the 17th BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Prime Minister Modi addressed the urgent need to protect critical mineral supply chains from geopolitical manipulation. Without naming China directly, Modi’s appeal for “secure, reliable, and equitable” access to strategic minerals was widely interpreted as a veiled warning against monopolistic practices.
China currently controls 90–95% of the world’s rare earth processing capacity and has recently tightened export regulations, escalating concerns among major economies. Modi’s speech suggested a collective response among BRICS nations, encouraging a multipolar governance structure for global mineral flows—based on fair trade rather than coercion.
The BRICS bloc, now expanded to 11 members, could serve as a vital platform for balancing China’s dominance while advancing India’s interests in sustainable development and economic sovereignty.
The Quad Mineral Alliance: A Complementary Front
Just days before the BRICS summit, India joined hands with the U.S., Australia, and Japan to announce the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative. This move aims to diversify global mineral supply chains and reduce dependency on China. It complements India’s efforts in BRICS by combining multilateral diplomacy with alliance-building among like-minded countries.
Through this initiative, India aims to access new mineral sources, exchange technological know-how, and co-develop extraction and processing infrastructure. For New Delhi, this dual-track strategy—via BRICS and the Quad—strengthens economic resilience while enhancing geopolitical flexibility.
Africa at the Core of India’s Mineral Strategy
India’s mineral strategy is anchored heavily in Africa, where it seeks to counter China’s deep-rooted presence. Beijing has invested billions in African mining, controlling major assets like the Tenke Fungurume mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a key source of cobalt. India’s approach, though less capital-intensive, hinges on long-term developmental partnerships and transparency.
Apart from Ghana and Namibia, India has inked mineral cooperation deals with South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, and the DRC. These partnerships support both India’s raw material needs and its broader geopolitical aim to offer African countries a credible alternative to Chinese resource extraction practices, which have drawn criticism for lack of sustainability and equity.
Resisting the Weaponization of Supply Chains
India’s mineral outreach is not just about supply security; it’s also a strategic response to growing concerns over the “weaponization” of critical resources. China’s export curbs on gallium and germanium, essential for chips and defence technologies, have triggered global alarm. Modi’s push for equitable access and diversified supply chains is thus as much about shielding India from future disruptions as it is about enabling its green transition.
India’s efforts reflect a broader recalibration of global trade rules—away from monopoly-driven models toward equitable frameworks that respect sovereign development priorities.
From Dependence to Strategic Autonomy
Prime Minister Modi’s five-nation tour and his coordinated efforts at multilateral platforms underline a transformative shift in India’s foreign policy—from reactive diplomacy to proactive economic statecraft. With its green ambitions growing and industrial base expanding, India can no longer afford to be a passive player in the global resource game.
The Confederation of Indian Industry projects Indian investment in Africa alone could reach $150 billion by 2030. Modi’s mineral diplomacy, therefore, represents more than a foreign tour—it’s a blueprint for resource-led strategic autonomy. As India diversifies its partnerships and builds trust-based alliances, it is positioning itself not just as a consumer of critical minerals, but as a rule-shaper in the global supply ecosystem.
(With agency inputs)
