Critical Minerals Global Supply Chains
International Relations
- PYQs3
- Articles1
Background
Understanding resource security, economic diplomacy, strategic autonomy, the intersection of technology and geopolitics, and India's efforts to secure essential raw materials for its industrial and technological growth.
Critical minerals are elements vital for modern technologies, renewable energy, and defence industries, whose supply chains are vulnerable to disruption due to concentrated production, geopolitical risks, and complex processing, making their secure and diversified access a strategic national priority.
Facts & tables
- Importance
- Essential for high-tech industries (AI, green energy, defence)
- Vulnerability
- Supply chains are often concentrated and susceptible to disruption
- Initiative
- India-UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory launched
- Goal
- Enhance supply chain resilience and security
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
- Minerals vital for tech, green energy.
- Supply chains are strategic, vulnerable.
- India-UK Observatory launched.
- Aims for supply chain resilience.
- Crucial for India's tech growth.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
Timeline
-
International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2026
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prime Minister’s meeting with Prime Minister of UK on the sidelines of the G7 Summit
Critical minerals are vital for advanced technologies and green energy; their global supply chains are strategically important and vulnerable, leading to initiatives like the India-UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory to ensure secure access.
See also
Past papers
2023–2026 · 2 questions
In the news
Prime Minister’s meeting with Prime Minister of UK on the sidelines of the G7 Summit
Critical minerals are vital for advanced technologies and green energy; their global supply chains are strategically important and vulnerable, leading to initiatives like the India-UK Critical Minerals Global Supply Chain Observatory to ensure secure access.
Try these PYQs
Match List I with List II and select the answer using the code given below the Lists :
| List I (BIMSTEC Centre/Establishment) | List II (Location) |
|---|---|
| A. BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory | 1. NOIDA |
| B. BIMSTEC Energy Centre | 2. Bengaluru |
| C. BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate | 3. Colombo |
| D. BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility | 4. Thimphu |
The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) has established several specialized centres to foster regional cooperation. The correct matching of these centres with their locations is as follows: * BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory (BCIO): Located in Thimphu, Bhutan. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for its establishment was signed during the Third BIMSTEC Summit in 2014 to promote cultural cooperation and preserve heritage.
* BIMSTEC Energy Centre (BEC): Located in Bengaluru, India. Housed at the Central Power Research Institute, it coordinates regional energy cooperation, capacity building, and acts as the Secretariat for the BIMSTEC Grid Interconnection Coordination Committee.
* BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate (BCWC): Located in NOIDA, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is hosted at the National Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF) to enhance regional cooperation in weather prediction, climate modeling, and disaster preparedness.
* BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility (TTF): Located in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Memorandum of Association (MoA) for its establishment was signed during the Fifth BIMSTEC Summit in 2022 to facilitate technology sharing, innovation, and capacity building among member states. Therefore, the correct matching is A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3, which corresponds to the correct option.
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 : Sumed pipeline is a strategic route for Persian Gulf oil and natural gas shipments to Europe.
Statement-II : Sumed pipeline connects the Red Sea with the Mediterranean Sea.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
Statement I is correct. The Sumed Pipeline is indeed a significant route for transporting oil and natural gas from the Persian Gulf to Europe. It bypasses the Suez Canal, offering an alternative path for these resources. Statement II is also correct. The Sumed Pipeline physically connects the Red Sea (where oil and gas are loaded onto ships from the Persian Gulf) with the Mediterranean Sea, providing a direct route for them to reach European ports. The connection between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea established by the Sumed Pipeline directly explains its strategic importance for transporting oil and gas to Europe. Statement II provides the geographical context for how Statement I functions.