Critical minerals are crucial for national security, defence capability development, and technological sovereignty, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, said on Tuesday (December 23, 2025).
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Speaking at a discussion titled ‘Minerals that Matter: Geopolitics, Sovereignty and Value Chains’, Air Marshal Dixit underscored the role of critical minerals in modern defence systems. “Modern defence systems including jet engines, missiles, precision munitions, radars, satellites, batteries and semiconductors are intrinsically dependent on assured access to these minerals,” he said.
Highlighting the geopolitical dimensions of mineral supply chains, the Air Marshal said that global supply networks for critical minerals are highly concentrated and increasingly subject to export controls and geopolitical pressures. Excessive import dependence, he said, is a major strategic vulnerability.
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