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OPINION AUGUST 01, 2025 | The Indian Eye 14

enabling Beijing to exercise end-to- imagining mineral security from the
end control over the mineral value African perspective.
chain. Most existing critical mineral
Against the above backdrop, the frameworks fail to address Africa’s
Quad must implement robust, trans- broader developmental needs. For
parent and equitable mechanisms the continent, mineral security must
for engaging African partners. While go beyond traditional extraction to
the Quad’s collective framework include inputs essential for food se-
remains nascent, its member states curity, like fertilizers, materials for
have begun formulating and execut- infrastructure such as cement, and
ing national strategies that increas- components for water purification.
ingly incorporate Africa as a critical This is where current global strat-
component of global supply chain egies fall short. The Quad has a
diversification and resilience. chance to offer a distinct approach
The Quad’s Critical Minerals by supporting local manufacturing,
Initiative is a timely response to the establishing processing facilities, and
economic and strategic vulnerabili- ensuring mineral-based products like
ties created by overdependence on batteries and solar panels remain
dominant suppliers, most notably Africa is home to nearly 30 per cent of the world’s known lithium, cobalt, graphite, accessible. Innovative models such
China. As demand for minerals cru- as “materials-as-a-service”, enabling
cial for clean energy technologies and and other rare earth elements reserves (File photo) producing countries to maintain a
digital infrastructure accelerates, so stake throughout the value chain,
does the urgency for nations to diver- transport and telecommunications. DRC’s Mining Week in Lubumbashi could help reshape global mineral
sify and de-risk their supply chains. In 2023, the Japan Organization for to explore future collaboration. By partnerships more equitably.
Within the Quad, each member has Metals and Energy Security (JOG- February 2025, Indian officials dis- The future of global critical min-
independently expanded its footprint MEC) signed agreements with Na- cussed investment opportunities in eral governance will be shaped not
in Africa’s mineral landscape. Yet, in mibia, the Democratic Republic of lithium, rare earths and other key only by technology and capital but
the absence of a coherent, coordinat- the Congo (DRC) and Zambia. These minerals at Mining Indaba in South by inclusion, trust and partnership.
ed approach, the collective potential countries are rich in cobalt, copper Africa. A breakthrough followed in The Quad’s vision for a free, open
of the Quad remains underutilised, and rare earth elements. Beyond ex- July 2025, when India secured 9,000 and resilient Indo-Pacific cannot
unable to match the scale, speed or ploration, Japan’s engagement prior- sq km of mineral exploration rights be realised if Africa, home to some
integration of China’s mineral diplo- itises environmental compliance and in Zambia. Prime Minister Naren- of the world’s most vital mineral
macy. responsible mining, reflecting a com- dra Modi’s visits to Ghana and Na- reserves, remains sidelined. While
Japan’s experience following the mitment to high standards and long- mibia in July 2025 further elevated each Quad member brings a unique
2010 rare earth embargo imposed by term capacity building. Its evolving the scale and significance of India’s advantage, India’s Global South out-
China is a pivotal example. Heavily model offers a valuable template for critical minerals diplomacy. reach, Japan’s technological acumen,
reliant on Beijing for more than 90 the Quad grounded in mutual de- Recent events also underscore Australia’s mining expertise, and the
per cent of its rare earth imports at velopment, rather than resource ex- the strategic costs of inadequate co- US’ financial clout, the absence of
the time, Japan responded by invest- traction alone. ordination within the Quad. India’s a unified, Africa-centered strategy
ing over ¥100 billion in a national While Japan’s engagement re- sudden suspension of rare earth ex- limits their collective potential. Afri-
diversification strategy, eventually flects a development-oriented strat- ports to Japan, ending a 13-year-old ca is not merely a resource supplier
reducing its dependence to about egy anchored in high standards and agreement, is a case in point. While but is an increasingly assertive actor,
60 per cent.This episode catalysed long-term cooperation, Australia driven by legitimate concerns over seeking value addition, environmen-
a shift in Tokyo’s external econom- offers a commercially driven model securing domestic supply and re- tal safeguards, and a say in shaping
ic engagement. This experience has that nonetheless complements and ducing dependence on China, it also the rules of the global mineral econ-
reshaped Japan’s domestic strategy reinforces the broader goals of the highlighted the fragility of bilateral omy. The challenge now is to move
and redefined its external outreach, Quad. Despite being a resource-rich arrangements in the absence of a from alignment in principle to ac-
with Africa emerging as a key part- nation, Australia sees Africa as a sup- multilateral framework. As Japan tion in practice. By placing Africa at
ner in its quest for resource diversi- plier and a strategic partner in trans- has been a long-time investor in In- the centre, the Quad can transcend
fication. forming the global mineral economy. dia’s rare earth value chain, such narrow security framings and offer a
Japan’s engagement with Africa, Nearly 170 Australian mining com- disruptions expose the lack of an compelling, inclusive alternative to
long rooted in infrastructure diplo- panies are active in 35 African coun- institutional mechanism for policy China’s mineral dominance.
macy, has seen a gradual yet strate- tries, operating within the framework consultations, dispute management
gic pivot towards securing access to of Australia’s Critical Minerals Strat- and expectation alignment within Mohanasakthivel J is a Research
critical minerals essential for its in- egy (2023–2030). the Quad. Without such guardrails, Analyst with the Manohar Parrikar
dustrial economy. While Tokyo has KABIL has secured lithium as- the internal cohesion that gives the Institute for Defence Studies and
historically supported Africa’s de- sets in Argentina and is pursuing co- Quad its strategic strength could be Analyses (MP-IDSA), New Delhi.
velopment through the Tokyo Inter- balt and copper ventures in Zambia, compromised. Views expressed are of the author and
national Conference on African De- the DRC and Côte d’Ivoire. Over the From now on, the Quad must do not necessarily reflect the views of
velopment (TICAD), the emphasis past two years, India has significantly move from parallel bilateralism to co- the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
is now expanding beyond traditional intensified its diplomatic and techni- ordinated collective action. It needs Government of India.
aid to encompass strategic resource cal outreach to African mineral-rich shared platforms for investment,
partnerships. Japan has reoriented countries. In June 2024, it held Joint transparent rules for intra-group The full version of this article
its approach to include strategic alli- Working Group meetings with Zam- trade and early-warning systems to first appeared in the Comments
ances in the critical minerals sector. bia to deepen cooperation on copper mitigate policy shocks. Internal con- section of the website (www.idsa.in) of
At TICAD 2022, Japan pledged and cobalt, building on an existing sistency, especially from the US, will Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defense
US$ 30 billion for Africa’s infra- MoU. Around the same time, an In- be critical to maintaining strategic Studies and Analyses, New Delhi, on
structure development in energy, dian delegation participated in the alignment. Equally important is re- July 18, 2025

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