Niti Aayog flags China’s hold over critical minerals supply

Government think tank, Niti Aayog member Arvind Virmani on Thursday emphasised the importance of addressing the concentration of critical mineral supply largely controlled by one country, leading to concerns about monopolies and the need for a competitive supply chain.

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“(Critical) Minerals are dispersed all over the world. But the metal supply, 80 to 90 per cent is controlled by one country. We would call that a monopoly,” Virmani told ANI in an interview on the sidelines of India Mining Summit 2025 in New Delhi.

China is the world’s largest producer of critical minerals, including rare earth elements, accounting for a significant portion of global supply. It became a vital concern worldwide when China restricted exports of critical minerals.