India, April 29 -- In a calculated manoeuvre during a period of heightened geopolitical tension, China has implemented a ban on the export of key rare earth metals, notably gallium and germanium, citing national security and resource control. The move, widely perceived as a response to growing western restrictions on Chinese access to high-end technologies, has ignited concerns across global supply chains and strategic industries.

Rare earth elements (REEs), including neodymium, dysprosium, and terbium, are indispensable in modern technology. They are used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, smartphones, semiconductors, and critical military systems such as guided missiles and radar. Although not particularly rare in terms of geol...