Critical Minerals

Critical Minerals: The New Oil of the 21st Century?

Critical minerals are not literally the new oil, but they may play a comparable role in defining the balance of power. The race has already begun, and India’s preparedness will determine whether it merely secures access to the resources of the new century or helps shape the industrial order that emerges from them.

Trade Pivot Weakens Pakistan’s Grip on Afghanistan, as Others Move in

Afghanistan has sought to limit or reduce its structural vulnerability by moving trade through Iran’s Chabahar Port and Central Asian corridors. Kabul is realigning Afghanistan’s external economic geography by looking towards Iran, Central Asia, China and India.

India's Sugar Economy and Ethanol Politics: The Demand-Supply Imbalance Threatens to Mar Festival Season

The current rise in Indian sugar prices is the result of several factors rather than ethanol alone. Lower-than-expected production—from an initial estimate of 343 LMT to about 306 LMT—is central to the supply concern. Weather damage, disease, festival demand, global prices and market speculation have added to the pressure.

Can Iran's Chabahar Help Turkiye and India do Business?

Chabahar will not transform Türkiye–India relations. It can, however, show whether two countries with serious political disagreements are capable of making one difficult commercial route work.

More on Economy, Trade and Development

Sri Lanka defense secretary extols China’s relationship with Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary Major General (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne said the historical relationship between China and Sri Lanka had been growing on the mutual trust built on pillars of political, economic, cultural, educational and most importantly in defense over the years

Pakistan Army chief hails military ties as 'key components' of Pak-China relations

Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, on the 93rd anniversary of the founding of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA), has said both the countries militaries were key components of Pak-China strategic relations

Sri Lanka to give tax-free salaries to top execs of billion-dollar China project

Sri Lanka will give tax-free salaries to 30 executives of billion-dollar property project from China which will be a landmark in the reclamation that is expanding the island’s capital into the Indian Ocean

‘China meddling in internal affairs of Nepal, Sri Lanka’

Lisa Curtis, senior director for South and Central Asia, US National Security Council, said China was meddling in internal affairs of Nepal and Sri Lanka

Trial of Chinese Vaccine: Dhaka's indecision puzzles experts

It remains a mystery why the Bangladesh government is still in a fix about allowing a clinical trial of the Chinese COVID-19 vaccine here when health experts are saying the trial can help the country access the life-saving vaccine quickly and build national capacity for advanced research

REC arm cancels contract to Indian subsidiary of Chinese firm

Days after the opposition Congress accused the government of engaging a China-linked company in a meter installation project in Jammu & Kashmir, the REC Power Distribution Company Ltd (RECPDCL) said that sub-contractor, Dongfang Electric (India) Pvt Ltd, which was a subsidiary of a Chinese company, has been removed

Quad can be bulwark of global challenge to China: Pompeo

The Quad group of India, US, Japan and Australia can be the “bulwark” of a global challenge to China's aggressive behaviour, according to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

China's incursions into India, claims on Bhutan meant to test world: Pompeo

China is testing the world with its incursions into Indian territory but the tide is turning against Beijing, according to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo

Three in every four smartphones shipped in India were Chinese in Q2

Despite the supply chain issues and curtailed domestic production owing to lockdowns, almost three in four smartphones shipped in India during the June quarter were Chinese, a new report said on Thursday

Leasing Hambantota Port to China helped ease debt burden: Former Sri Lanka PM

By leasing the “white elephant” Hambantota Port to China, the Yahapalana Government was able to free the people of Sri Lanka from the burden of debt owed to China, a burden too heavy for them to bear, Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said

Google has absolutely no links to China's military, asserts CEO Pichai

Google's Indian American CEO Sundar Pichai has denied the company has links to China's military and said it had  only a “handful of people” in China working on open-source artificial intelligence project

China donates 50,000 face masks for Sri Lankan three-wheeler drivers

“To protect the three-wheeler drivers is to protect ourselves,” Hu Wei, Chargé d’affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka, said today donating 50,000 face masks for Sri Lankan three-wheeler drivers

India, China troop disengagement remains uphill task; India enhances deployment

Prospects of disengagement of troops at the disputed border between India and China appear to be dim and uphill

China imports all-time high PVC polymers from India amid border tension (Ld)

China imported record high PVC from India in June at a time when the two countries are locked in a tussle at the border amid calls for reducing trade flows

A regional bulwark a must to contain China's designs in South China Sea

In fact, China’s rising imperialist aggressions and assertions over the South China Sea, followed by China-India standoff, have prompted the US to display its awe-inspiring military power in the disputed waters of this region