Govt explores rare-earth deal with Myanmar rebels

INDIA IS WORKING to obtain rare-earth samples from Myanmar with the assistance of a powerful rebel group as it seeks alternative supplies of a strategic resource tightly controlled by China.

- Naw Betty Han & Neha Arora

The ministry of mines has asked state-owned and private firms to explore, collect, and transport samples from mines in northeastern Myanmar that are under the control of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), according to four people familiar with the matter.

State-owned miner Indian Rare Earths (IREL) and private firm Midwest Advanced Materials, which received government funding last year for the commercial manufacturing of rare-earth magnets, were among those involved in the discussions, the sources said.