Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s warning against the weaponisation of technology and critical minerals comes at a crucial moment. As the global economy becomes more dependent on artificial intelligence, semiconductors, clean-energy systems and advanced manufacturing, control over technology and strategic resources is increasingly becoming a source of geopolitical power.

Critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and rare earth elements are the backbone of the modern economy. They are essential for electric vehicles, batteries, renewable energy, electronics and defence systems. Their supply chains, however, remain concentrated in a few countries. Any attempt to use this dependence for political or economic coercion could disrupt industries far beyond national borders.
Technology faces a similar danger. Artificial intelligence, advanced computing and digital infrastructure can accelerate development, but their excessive concentration can create new forms of dependence. Restricting access to critical technologies may protect short-term strategic interests, but it can also widen the technological divide between developed and developing nations.
The global response should not be another race towards protectionism. Building competing blocs around minerals and technology would make supply chains more fragile and raise costs for everyone. What is needed instead is diversification, transparency and cooperation.
For India, this issue has particular importance. The country is rapidly expanding its electric-vehicle, renewable-energy, semiconductor and advanced-manufacturing sectors. Secure access to critical minerals is therefore not merely an economic requirement; it is a strategic necessity. At the same time, India must strengthen domestic exploration, processing, recycling and technological capabilities to reduce excessive external dependence.
But self-reliance should not be confused with isolation. India needs reliable international partnerships, technology-sharing arrangements and diversified sources of critical minerals. Cooperation with trusted partners can make supply chains stronger while preserving open markets.
The larger principle is clear: technology and natural resources that are essential to humanity’s future should not become instruments of coercion.
The world has already witnessed how vulnerable supply chains can affect economies. Turning technology and minerals into geopolitical weapons would deepen those vulnerabilities.
The answer lies in responsible competition, not confrontation; resilience, not resource nationalism; and innovation, not technological exclusion.
Prime Minister Modi’s warning should therefore be viewed not merely as a geopolitical message, but as a call for a fairer global economic order. The minerals powering the green transition and the technologies shaping the future must remain accessible, reliable and responsibly governed.
The future should be powered by cooperation—not controlled by coercion.