India's dependence on China for rare earth minerals not good for country: Congress leader

Noting that over 90 per cent of rare earth minerals are imported from China, Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Friday asked the government to give due priority to their exploration in India, saying "such kind of dependence" on a "hostile country" will not augur well.

Raising the issue in Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, the Congress leader said exploration of rare earth minerals is "abysmally low" in the country and termed it as "achilles heels" in India's strategic planning.

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"The reason being that till now our government has been importing more than 90 per cent of the rare earth minerals from China," he said.

He said rare earth minerals consists of 17 very critical elements, which are used in a range of items, from nuclear power and magnets to electric vehicles.

In view of the wide ranging application of the rare earth mineral, Chowdhury said, "I think the kind of dependence that India has upon a hostile country for the earth materials will not augur good for our nation."

The Congress leader said India has six per cent of the world's rare earth mineral reserves.

"I would request the government to give due priority to indigenous exploration and the rare earth minerals that have strategic importance should not be ignored," he added.