“Realpolitik, rare earths and India’s Myanmar calculus: The geopolitics behind Min Aung Hlaing’s Delhi visit”, First Post, June 03, 26

“India has the dubious distinction of hosting Myanmar junta chief and President Min Aung Hlaing, the coup leader who overthrew a democratically elected government in 2021. But in an era where access to critical minerals is becoming as important as oil once was, New Delhi’s decision is driven as much by strategic and economic considerations as by traditional security concerns.

New Delhi’s engagement with the military junta is not new; it began as early as 1992 as a pushback against China’s growing influence in the country that shares a border with India’s sensitive north-eastern region.

But now engagement is reinforced by Myanmar’s growing importance as a source of critical minerals. The country has huge quantities of heavy rare earth minerals needed for electric vehicles, wind turbines and defence technology. At a time when critical minerals are powering modern technologies and industries, access to such resources has become a key driver of foreign policy for all countries. However, as of now, most of the heavy critical minerals are in Kachin State, near the China border. These areas, which were once under the control of the junta-aligned forces, are now with the Kachin Independence Army and are mostly sold to China, which adjoins the area. But there are also other areas that are rich in various minerals…….”

Read full article at firstpost.com