Latest news with #QuadPortsoftheFuturePartnership
India.com
2 days ago
- Business
- India.com
Bad news for China! QUAD makes big plan to end Beijing's dominance in…, good news for India due to….
The Quad alliance has unveiled a bold initiative planned at securing a stable supply of critical minerals, as part of its broader efforts to enhance economic security. The move was taken after growing concerns over China's practices like price manipulation and export restrictions on these essential resources. The decision on rolling out the 'Quad Critical Minerals Initiative' was announced after a meeting of foreign ministers of the member nations of the grouping in the US capital on Tuesday. QUAD's Action Plan On Critical Minerals Critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and graphite are considered vital for high-end technology products, including electric vehicles (EVs), drones, and battery storage. China has been a dominant player in the critical minerals supply chain globally. The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya. In a joint statement, the Quad foreign ministers expressed 'deep concern' over the 'abrupt constriction and future reliability' of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals, remarks which are seen as directed at China. The ministers unveiled a broader agenda covering four areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. What's Quad's Next Plan? The Quad said it is committed to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific and is aiming to strengthen energy security across the region besides promoting resilient supply chains and quality infrastructure projects that are transparent and secure. It was also announced that the grouping will formally launch the 'Quad Ports of the Future Partnership' by hosting a transportation and logistics conference with Indo-Pacific partners in Mumbai in October 2025. A readout of the foreign ministerial meeting said the new initiative on critical minerals is an 'ambitious expansion' of the Quad partnership to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains. 'Today, Quad Foreign Ministers are proud to announce the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, an ambitious expansion of our partnership to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains,' it said. 'This new flagship initiative, alongside the high-impact programmes and outcomes the Quad is realising, will enable our four countries to bring economic opportunity and prosperity to our people and the region,' it said. In a joint statement, the Quad foreign ministers expressed 'deep concern' over use of non-market policies and practices for critical minerals and mineral processing technology. 'We underscore the importance of diversified and reliable global supply chains. Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security,' they said. A fact-sheet unveiled at the end of the meeting said the Quad is expanding maritime law enforcement cooperation which will support efforts to curtail illicit maritime activity, including piracy, drug trafficking, infringements on border security, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. (With Inputs From PTI)
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Why is Quad Critical Minerals Initiative important for your UPSC exam
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up on your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: QUAD groupings and their initiatives are essential from the exam perspective. More importantly, critical minerals have become the 'oil' of the new world; new groupings in managing the supply chain are significant from a holistic perspective. UPSC has asked questions on minerals and international groups. In light of ongoing trade tussles, this initiative is very important for your exam.) The second Quad foreign ministers' meeting was held in Washington, DC. It was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japan Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya. They strongly condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack, called for the 'perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without any delay', and urged all UN member countries to cooperate with all authorities under international law in this regard. The QUAD foreign ministers also launched the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative and announced plans to host the first Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network field training exercise this year and launch the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership in Mumbai this year. 1. The joint statement said that to ensure the Quad's enduring impact, the focus has been on four key areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technology, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. 2. They expressed concern about the abrupt constriction and future reliability of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals. The issues highlighted were the use of non-market policies and practices for critical minerals, certain derivative products, and mineral processing technology. 3. This QUAD critical minerals initiative underscores the importance of diversified and reliable global supply chains. 'Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security,' said the statement. We are launching today the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, an ambitious expansion of our partnership to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating to secure and diversify critical minerals supply chains. 4. According to the Report of the Committee on Identification of Critical Minerals, 'Critical minerals are the foundation on which modern technology is built. From solar panels to semiconductors, wind turbines to advanced batteries for storage and transportation, the world needs critical minerals to build these products.' In simple terms, without critical minerals, there is no energy transition, which is why their supply chain resilience has become an increasing priority for major countries. 5. Dhiraj Nayyar in The Indian Express writes, 'Coal powered the first industrial revolution of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Oil and its derivatives fuelled the Second Industrial Revolution (think cars and planes), and global prosperity in the second half of the 20th century. Now, the long 21st century is going to be the critical minerals age.' QUAD groupings The United States is hosting the 2025 Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting, and India will host the 2025 Quad Leaders Summit. Dependence on China for critical minerals 📍Dhiraj Nayyar writes, China alone accounts for two-thirds of global rare earths mining. Australia, Chile, and China account for a majority of lithium mining. In processing, there is complete dominance across the board by just one country, China. Sixty-six per cent of the processing of critical minerals (also including copper and aluminium) takes place in China. For rare earths, this goes up to more than 90 per cent. China alone can bring the global EV industry to a halt by restricting the supply of rare earths. 📍As per the International Energy Agency, China accounts for a 35 per cent share in the refining of nickel, 50-70 per cent of lithium and cobalt and around 90 per cent for rare earth elements. China not only dominates the production of rare earths, but also has the most reserves. As per data from the US Geological Survey, the country's reserves have been estimated at 44 million metric tons. Brazil's reserves have been pegged at 21 million metric tons, India's at 6.9 million, Australia's at 5.7 million, Russia's at 3.8 million, and Vietnam's at 3.5 million. 1. In January 2025, India launched a National Critical Mineral Mission to help achieve self-reliance in the critical mineral sector. In 2023, the Centre also identified 30 critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, tin and copper, which are essential for the country's economic development and national security. 2. The Rs 16,300-crore National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) is to promote the exploration of critical minerals within the country and at offshore locations. It aims to intensify the exploration of critical minerals within the country and in its offshore areas. It plans to create a fast-track regulatory approval process for critical mineral mining projects. National Critical Minerals Mission aims to reduce import dependence, strengthen domestic value chains, and support India's 'Net Zero by 2070' goal. – Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi 3. According to a report published by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) in 2024, India's demand for critical minerals is expected to more than double by 2030, while domestic mining operations may take over a decade to start producing. 4. The report said India depends heavily on China for synthetic graphite and natural graphite, and it should explore cooperation initiatives with countries like Mozambique, Madagascar, Brazil, and Tanzania, which are some of the highest graphite-producing countries. 5. India has committed to achieving 500 gigawatts (GW) of non-fossil fuel-based electricity installed capacity by 2030. In light of this, India becoming a member of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) in 2023 and QUAD Critical Minerals Initiative are important steps to fulfill the commitment. 1. In June 2023, India was inducted into the MSP, a US-led collaboration of 14 countries that aimed to catalyse public and private investment in critical mineral supply chains globally. Last year, India also became a part of the Minerals Security Finance Network (MSFN). 2. MSP partners include Australia, Canada, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union (represented by the European Commission). 3. The MSP grouping is focused on the supply chains of minerals such as Cobalt, Nickel, Lithium, and also the 17 'rare earth' minerals. The alliance is seen as primarily focused on evolving an alternative to China, which has created processing infrastructure in rare earth minerals and has acquired mines in Africa for elements such as Cobalt. 4. The collaboration is engaged in fostering a critical minerals and metals cooperation forum for the sharing of expertise, building a robust battery materials supply chain, and jointly developing a minerals processing facility in South America. (1) Consider the following statements about the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP): 1. The NATO-led initiative was launched to create a global supply chain of critical minerals. 2. In 2023, India and Sri Lanka became members of MSP, taking the total count to 14. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 (2) Recently, there has been a concern over the short supply of a group of elements called 'rare earth metals'. Why? (UPSC CSE 2012) 1. China, which is the largest producer of these elements, has imposed some restrictions on their export. 2. Other than China, Australia, Canada, and Chile, these elements are not found in any country. 3. Rare earth metals are essential for the manufacture of various kinds of electronic items and there is a growing demand for these elements. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 (Source: Cabinet approves critical minerals mission with Rs 16,300 crore outlay, India needs a strategy to deal with China's restrictions on exports of rare earths, What is India's share in rare earth elements, the backbone of modern technologies?, Quad leaders condemn 'reprehensible' Pahalgam attack) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – Indian Express UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for June 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Quad launches critical minerals initiative to counter China's dominance
The Quad grouping has launched an ambitious initiative to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals under a broader goal to strengthen economic security amid concerns over China's coercive tactics, including price manipulation and restrictions on the export of the vital resources. The decision on rolling out the " Quad Critical Minerals Initiative " was announced after a meeting of foreign ministers of the member nations of the grouping in the US capital on Tuesday. Critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and graphite are considered vital for high-end technology products, including electric vehicles (EVs), drones, and battery storage. China has been a dominant player in the critical minerals supply chain globally. The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya. In a joint statement, the Quad foreign ministers expressed "deep concern" over the "abrupt constriction and future reliability" of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals, remarks which are seen as directed at China. Live Events The ministers unveiled a broader agenda covering four areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. The Quad said it is committed to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific and is aiming to strengthen energy security across the region besides promoting resilient supply chains and quality infrastructure projects that are transparent and secure. It was also announced that the grouping will formally launch the "Quad Ports of the Future Partnership" by hosting a transportation and logistics conference with Indo-Pacific partners in Mumbai in October 2025. A readout of the foreign ministerial meeting said the new initiative on critical minerals is an "ambitious expansion" of the Quad partnership to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains. "Today, Quad Foreign Ministers are proud to announce the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, an ambitious expansion of our partnership to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains," it said. "This new flagship initiative, alongside the high-impact programmes and outcomes the Quad is realising, will enable our four countries to bring economic opportunity and prosperity to our people and the region," it said. In a joint statement, the Quad foreign ministers expressed "deep concern" over use of non-market policies and practices for critical minerals and mineral processing technology. "We underscore the importance of diversified and reliable global supply chains. Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security," they said. A fact-sheet unveiled at the end of the meeting said the Quad is expanding maritime law enforcement cooperation which will support efforts to curtail illicit maritime activity, including piracy, drug trafficking, infringements on border security, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. It also noted the launch of the first-ever "Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission" this month. The initiative is aimed at strengthening interoperability and knowledge-sharing to address unlawful maritime activities across the Indo-Pacific. Later this month, the Quad will hold the second maritime legal dialogue to advance efforts to uphold maritime order, the document noted. It said the "Quad Critical Minerals Initiative" will strengthen cooperation on priorities such as securing and diversifying reliable supply chains, and electronic waste, critical minerals recovery and re-processing. "The initiative will expand the Quad's cooperation on supply chain resilience measures for critical minerals, and we look forward to coordinating with private sector partners to facilitate increased investments," it added.
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Business Standard
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Quad launches critical minerals initiative to counter China's dominance
The decision on rolling out the "Quad Critical Minerals Initiative" was announced after a meeting of foreign ministers of the member nations of the grouping in the US capital on Tuesday Press Trust of India Washington The Quad grouping has launched an ambitious initiative to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals under a broader goal to strengthen economic security amid concerns over China's coercive tactics, including price manipulation and restrictions on the export of the vital resources. The decision on rolling out the "Quad Critical Minerals Initiative" was announced after a meeting of foreign ministers of the member nations of the grouping in the US capital on Tuesday. Critical minerals such as lithium, nickel and graphite are considered vital for high-end technology products, including electric vehicles (EVs), drones, and battery storage. China has been a dominant player in the critical minerals supply chain globally. The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and her Japanese counterpart Takeshi Iwaya. In a joint statement, the Quad foreign ministers expressed "deep concern" over the "abrupt constriction and future reliability" of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals, remarks which are seen as directed at China. The ministers unveiled a broader agenda covering four areas: maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. The Quad said it is committed to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific and is aiming to strengthen energy security across the region besides promoting resilient supply chains and quality infrastructure projects that are transparent and secure. It was also announced that the grouping will formally launch the "Quad Ports of the Future Partnership" by hosting a transportation and logistics conference with Indo-Pacific partners in Mumbai in October 2025. A readout of the foreign ministerial meeting said the new initiative on critical minerals is an "ambitious expansion" of the Quad partnership to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains. "Today, Quad Foreign Ministers are proud to announce the launch of the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, an ambitious expansion of our partnership to strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating on securing and diversifying critical mineral supply chains," it said. "This new flagship initiative, alongside the high-impact programmes and outcomes the Quad is realising, will enable our four countries to bring economic opportunity and prosperity to our people and the region," it said. In a joint statement, the Quad foreign ministers expressed "deep concern" over use of non-market policies and practices for critical minerals and mineral processing technology. "We underscore the importance of diversified and reliable global supply chains. Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security," they said. A fact-sheet unveiled at the end of the meeting said the Quad is expanding maritime law enforcement cooperation which will support efforts to curtail illicit maritime activity, including piracy, drug trafficking, infringements on border security, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. It also noted the launch of the first-ever "Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission" this month. The initiative is aimed at strengthening interoperability and knowledge-sharing to address unlawful maritime activities across the Indo-Pacific. Later this month, the Quad will hold the second maritime legal dialogue to advance efforts to uphold maritime order, the document noted. It said the "Quad Critical Minerals Initiative" will strengthen cooperation on priorities such as securing and diversifying reliable supply chains, and electronic waste, critical minerals recovery and re-processing. "The initiative will expand the Quad's cooperation on supply chain resilience measures for critical minerals, and we look forward to coordinating with private sector partners to facilitate increased investments," it added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
The Print
3 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Quad launches new agenda, raises concern on China's control over critical minerals supply chains
'We discussed the opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific and how to further harness the strengths and resources of the Quad to advance peace, security, and prosperity, working with our regional partners,' it stated. The announcement of the agenda was part of the joint statement issued by the foreign ministers of Australia, Japan, India and the US, following their meeting in Washington. New Delhi: Foreign ministers of the Quad Tuesday unveiled a new 'ambitious' agenda based on four 'key areas'–maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies, and humanitarian assistance and emergency response. 'Through this renewed focus, we will sharpen the Quad's ability to leverage our resources to address the region's most pressing challenges,' it added. Apart from the new agenda, the ministers also launched three new initiatives: the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative, conduct of the first Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network field training exercise, and Quad Ports of the Future Partnership. 'In the face of these challenges, we are proud to announce today key initiatives that the Quad is advancing to strengthen maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technology, and support (for) humanitarian assistance and emergency response across the Indo-Pacific,' the joint statement said. The critical minerals initiative aims to 'strengthen economic security and collective resilience by collaborating to secure and diversify critical minerals supply chains'. The logistics network field exercise will focus on strengthening the 'shared airlift capacity' among the four countries, to aid in the collective response to natural disasters in the Indo-Pacific region. The Quad Ports of the Future Partnership is set to be launched in Mumbai later this year. Tuesday was the first meeting of the Quad foreign ministers since the Pahalgam attack in April and Operation Sindoor, and the second this year, following one in January. 'We will continue to counter foreign efforts to push false narratives and interfere with Quad interests in the Indo-Pacific. As the Quad continues to evolve, our four democracies remain committed to deepening our cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and ensuring our cooperation has an enduring impact on the region's top challenges and opportunities in the 21st century,' said the statement. The ministers also agreed to the next Quad Leaders' Summit to be hosted by India this year, while the foreign ministers' meeting will be hosted by Australia in 2026. Also Read: Quad foreign ministers condemn Pahalgam attack, call for perpetrators to be brought to justice 'Need reliable supply chains' The foreign ministers highlighted their concern over the 'abrupt constriction' of 'key supply chains' in a message to China. Beijing was not named in their joint statement, but in recent months China has restricted the supply of rare earth magnets to the US, while also restricting the supply of certain rare earth elements to India. Amid the trade war between the two largest global economies, curbs instituted by Beijing have also impacted supply chains of critical minerals to India. These restrictions have hit a number of sectors, including automobile production, electric vehicles and wind turbines. 'We are deeply concerned about the abrupt constriction and future reliability of key supply chains, specifically for critical minerals. This includes the use of non-market policies and practices for critical minerals, certain derivative products, and mineral processing technology,' the joint statement read. 'We underscore the importance of diversified and reliable global supply chains. Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation, and supply chain disruptions, which further harms our economic and national security,' it added. The foreign ministers further aired concerns over the situation in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the ongoing civil war in Myanmar. They also 'condemned' North Korea's ballistic missile programme as well as its 'continued pursuit of nuclear weapons'. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in the US for a three-day visit from 30 June till 2 July. Apart from attending the foreign ministers' meeting, he held bilateral talks with US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, met with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, and held bilateral talks with his Quad counterparts. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Ahead of ministers' meeting, QUAD launches 1st-ever coast guard observer mission for Indo-Pacific
