Critical Minerals and India's Strategic Resource Security
International Relations
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Directly impacts India's economic growth, technological self-reliance, energy security, and foreign policy. It's a key area of global competition and a driver of domestic policy (e.g., exploration, resource diplomacy).
Critical minerals are essential raw materials for modern technologies, including renewable energy, electronics, defence, and electric vehicles. Their limited availability, concentrated supply chains, and geopolitical significance make them crucial for a nation's economic security, technological sovereignty, and energy transition goals.
Facts & tables
- Definition
- Minerals vital for economic and national security, whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption.
- Examples
- Lithium, Cobalt, Graphite, Rare Earth Elements, Nickel, Vanadium.
- Applications
- Batteries, semiconductors, renewable energy technologies, defence systems.
- India's Status
- Heavily dependent on imports; expanding domestic exploration (e.g., in NE India).
| Mineral | Primary Applications |
|---|---|
| Lithium | EV Batteries, Electronics |
| Rare Earth Elements | Magnets, Catalysts, Defence |
| Cobalt | Batteries, Superalloys |
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Economic Geography |
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Conceptual area | Science & Technology |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Mines | Formulates policy, oversees exploration |
| Geological Survey of India (GSI) | Undertakes exploration |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Statement-based questions
Prelims angle: Conceptual understanding
- Critical minerals are essential for modern tech & energy transition.
- India is import-dependent, leading to expanded domestic exploration.
- NE India identified as a 'strategic resource frontier'.
- Global competition for these resources drives geopolitical shifts.
- Crucial for India's economic security and technological sovereignty.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Cause and effect relationships |
| 2023 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2018 | Factual recall, Terminology-based question |
| 2018 | Conceptual understanding, Policy measures |
| 2016 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
Timeline
-
Economic Geography
Conceptual area
-
International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Science & Technology
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2016
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2018
Factual recall, Terminology-based question
-
Prelims 2018
Conceptual understanding, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Cause and effect relationships
-
From borderland to India’s strategic resource frontier
Critical minerals are vital for India's strategic autonomy in technology and energy, driving domestic exploration and international resource diplomacy amidst global supply chain vulnerabilities.
See also
No related topics linked yet.
Past papers
2016–2024 · 7 questions
In the news
From borderland to India’s strategic resource frontier
Critical minerals are vital for India's strategic autonomy in technology and energy, driving domestic exploration and international resource diplomacy amidst global supply chain vulnerabilities.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I: Recently, Venezuela has achieved a rapid recovery from its economic crisis and succeeded in preventing its people from fleeing/emigrating to other countries.
Statement-II: Venezuela has the world's largest oil reserves.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement-I: Incorrect. Venezuela continues to suffer from a severe economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, shortages of basic goods, and political instability. This crisis has led to a massive exodus of Venezuelans seeking better living conditions in neighboring countries and beyond. Statement-II: Correct. Venezuela indeed possesses the world's largest proven oil reserves, surpassing even Saudi Arabia. However, despite this vast resource wealth, economic mismanagement, corruption, and international sanctions have crippled its oil industry and hindered its ability to leverage this asset for economic recovery.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I : There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region.
Statement-II: There have been military takeovers/coups d'état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Statement-I: There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region. This statement is correct as the Sahel region has been experiencing significant instability and security challenges, including terrorism, armed conflict, and humanitarian crises. * Statement-II: There have been military takeovers/coups d'état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past. This statement is also correct. Several countries in the Sahel region, such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Chad, have experienced military coups in recent years. * Statement-II explains Statement-I because the military takeovers and coups contribute to the instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region. The political instability resulting from these coups disrupts governance, exacerbates conflict, and undermines efforts to address security and development challenges in the region.
In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the 'Additional Protocol' with the `International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'?
India signed the Additional Protocol to the IAEA safeguards agreement on May 15, 2009. An additional protocol to the Safeguards Agreement between the Government of India and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities entered into force on 25 July 2014. Hence option 1 is correct.
The term "two-state solution" is sometimes mentioned in the news in the context of the affairs of -
The Two-State Solution is used in the context of the Israel-Palestine issue. It envisages an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel west of the Jordan River.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following statements regarding the India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS):
1. The summit held in 2015 marked the third edition of the IAFS.
2. The IAFS mechanism was instituted under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru in 1951.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is correct: The Third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III) was hosted in New Delhi in October 2015. The first and second summits were held in 2008 (New Delhi) and 2011 (Addis Ababa), respectively, making the 2015 event the third edition. Statement 2 is incorrect: The India-Africa Forum Summit was institutionalized in 2008 to serve as the official platform for African-Indian relations. While Jawaharlal Nehru was a pioneer of Afro-Asian solidarity (e.g., the Asian Relations Conference of 1947), the IAFS is a distinct 21st-century initiative and was not established in 1951.
Consider the following pairs : Area of conflict mentioned in news Country where it is located
1. Donbas : Syria
2. Kachin : Ethiopia
3. Tigray : North Yemen
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
* The Donbas is a historical, cultural, and economic region in eastern Ukraine. It has two heavily industrialised regions of Donetsk and Luhansk which were occupied by Russian forces last year. Hence, pair 1 is not correctly matched. * Kachin State is the northernmost state of Myanmar. In 2022, Myanmar military air * strikes reportedly killed dozens of people including civilians at a concert in Kachin State. Hence, pair 2 is not correctly matched. * Tigray is Ethiopia's northernmost region. The region is at the centre of an ongoing civil conflict involving ethno-regional militias, the federal government, and the Eritrean military that has attracted the concern of humanitarian groups and external actors since November 2020. In October 2022, the first formal African Union-led peace talks between an Ethiopian government team and Tigray forces happened in South Africa. Hence, pair 3 is not correctly matched.
Consider the following pairs:
Country - Important reason for being in the news recently
1. Chad – Setting up of permanent military base by China.
2. Guinea – Suspension of Constitution and Government by military
3. Lebanon – Severe and prolonged economic depression
4. Tunisia – Suspension of Parliament by President
How many pairs given above are correctly matched?
Pair 1 is incorrectly matched. China has not established any permanent military base in Chad. Pair 2 is correctly matched. Guinean special forces staged a coup, captured President Alpha Conde, replaced governors with the military, and dissolved the constitution and National Assembly. Pair 3 is correctly matched. Lebanon has been experiencing a severe and prolonged economic depression since 2019, driven by political instability, inadequate reforms, and systemic corruption. The economic crisis has affected approximately 74% of the population. Pair 4 is correctly matched. Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the suspended parliament after lawmakers held an online meeting and voted to repeal presidential decrees. He called it a failed coup attempt.