📊Executive Summary

The article discusses the increasing importance of critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements in the context of industrial strategy and security. It highlights the concentration of supply in a few countries, particularly China, which dominates the processing of these minerals. The article warns of potential supply shortages, particularly for copper and lithium, as demand rises due to clean energy transitions. Geopolitical risks, especially related to China's export controls on rare earths, are also emphasized. India is identified as having significant mineral reserves but remains import-dependent for many critical minerals, highlighting the need for domestic processing capabilities to secure supply chains. This situation presents both opportunities and vulnerabilities for procurement teams in the electronics sector....