Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday flagged concerns over attempts in “certain pockets” to monopolise and weaponize critical resources, including rare minerals, internet and data, for strategic reasons, at a time when China controls bulk of the world’s rare earth mineral production.

“While scramble for resources for economic reasons has had a long history, their weaponization by some nations for strategic reasons is a comparatively new phenomenon. These tendencies are not conducive for the global good,” Singh said, without referring to China.

The remarks were made while addressing the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD)-2024.

Rare-earth elements have become an important source for many applications, including in transportation and semi-conductors, said Lieutenant General SL Narasimhan (Retd), a China expert and former member of the National Security Advisory Board.

“The supply chains involving these elements are dominated by China, thereby creating supply chain criticalities,” he said.

Singh reiterated India’s “unwavering resolve” to a rules-based international order, respect for international law, and adherence to the principles enshrined in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, describing these elements as the cornerstone of foreign policy.

“India has consistently advocated for a peaceful resolution to disputes and has sought to promote cooperation among nations in the Indo-Pacific, with a strong emphasis on the centrality of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) in fostering regional dialogue, stability and collective growth,” he said.

China has longstanding territorial disputes in the resource-rich South China Sea with several members of the regional bloc including Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

As far as the Indo-Pacific is concerned, China is seeking to expand its footprint in the vast region by setting up military bases, bullying countries to advance its unlawful maritime claims and ensnaring vulnerable states in unsustainable debts to force strategic concessions, as previously reported.

“India’s vision for the Indo-Pacific is based on PM Narendra Modi’s idea of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) as we believe in fostering partnerships that prioritise sustainable development, economic growth and mutual security.”

India’s engagement with its partners is guided by the understanding that true progress can only be achieved through collective action and synergy, and due to these efforts, the country is now considered a credible and preferred security partner, Singh pointed out.

He highlighted India’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of the vital international maritime routes, adding that the engagement with regional partners, including through joint exercises and information-sharing initiatives, is aimed at strengthening the collective maritime security framework.

“The global maritime landscape is rapidly evolving today, shaped by shifting power dynamics, resource competition, and emerging security threats. The emergence of the Indo-Pacific theatre today, reflects a visible balancing of global power --- political, economic and, to some degree, even military power between the West and the East.”

The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as the world’s most dynamic geopolitical zone and is the centre of gravity of economic and strategic interests. “It also carries a degree of pre-existing international tension, rivalry and conflict. While some challenges are of local nature, many challenges have global ramifications.”

IPRD is an annual apex-level regional strategic dialogue of the Indian Navy.

Speaking at another event, Singh reaffirmed the government’s commitment to empower the local defence industry by working closely with it to make the country a global manufacturing hub.

Addressing the seventh annual session of the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM), he said the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict served as a reminder to build a strong defence industrial base.

“It is important to ensure that our policies translate into ease of doing business at the ground level. SIDM can help in identifying the practical challenges faced by start-ups and SMEs so that we can address them.”

This report is auto-generated from a syndicated feed