India, June 17 -- Geopolitics is evolving, and it is evolving fast, unpredictably and more ruthlessly than ever. However, this time the global power play is not about oil. It is over something rarer than fossil fuels - critical minerals.

When Donald Trump took the oath as the president of the United States on January 20, 2025, everyone knew it was going to be a bumpy ride ahead. And, that is exactly what followed with his aggressive reciprocal tariff move.

Under this regime, Trump announced steep reciprocal tariffs ranging from 10% to 50% on 24 nations, slapping a 34% tariff on Chinese imports in response to Beijing's existing 76% duties on American goods.

China didn't take very long to respond. On April 4, just two days after Trump's ...