Amid China choke, PM tells Brics to pin rare earth supply

Modi's call for Brics collaboration comes amid a global supply shortage of rare earth metals

- Manas Pimpalkhare

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called on Brics countries to work together in order to secure critical mineral supply chains and ensure that no one nation is able to dominate and weaponize these resources.

His call at the 17th Brics Summit in Rio de Janeiro comes amid a Chinese chokehold on global rare earth supplies. Brics is a group of 11 countries that was set up by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Modi said it was important to make critical mineral supply chains reliable and ensure that no one country uses these resources for its own selfish gains or as a weapon against others, according to a press statement by the Prime Minister's office (PMO) on 7 July.

"We need to work together to make supply chains for critical minerals and technology secure and reliable. It's important to ensure that no country uses these resources for its own selfish gain or as a weapon against others," said Modi.