Green minerals are critical for clean energy tech & defence. Beijing wants to control supplies. New Delhi must speed up its own investments in the sector & partner with like-minded suppliers.
Some risks arrive as sudden shocks: black swans. Others, like a grey rhino, move slowly and advance in full view, long before they hit. China’s “initiative on green minerals”, unveiled by Premier Li Qiang during the G20 summit in Johannesburg, falls in the latter category. By rallying 19 mineral-exporting countries around its finance and mineral processing power, Beijing is rewiring markets for these metals.
The label “green minerals” comes from their role in clean energy technologies. They are in solar cells, wind turbines, electric vehicle batteries, transmission cables, and control systems. They are used in communications gear, satellites, drones, and precision-guided weapons.
