New Delhi, Feb. 12 -- The Critical Minerals Ministerial Meeting convened in Washington D.C. last week underscored the extent to which resource security has become central to contemporary geopolitics. Hosted by US secretary of state Marco Rubio, with vice-president J.D. Vance delivering the keynote address, the gathering brought together representatives from 54 countries and the European Commission.

The presence of key stakeholders, including India, Japan, Australia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, reflected a growing recognition that access to critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, rare-earth elements and graphite is no longer merely an economic concern but a strategic imperative.

At its core, the meeting was a response to the ...