The global transition to clean energy is creating new dependencies on minerals that serve as the backbone of renewable power and electric mobility. Lithium and copper, in particular, have emerged as indispensable resources for sustaining low-carbon growth. Yet, despite the growing body of research on mineral wealth spread across the world, much of the focus remains on China’s vast investments or the sustainability-oriented frameworks of Western nations. Latin America, an emerging geography in the global reorientation and focus on critical minerals, remains relatively less well-known. As India reorients in its quest for critical minerals and other supply chains connected to its import and export, engagements with Latin America are likely to become a key conduit. India’s aspiration to reach a US$5 trillion economy and cut its reliance on fossil fuels hinges on securing resources. Without access to the critical minerals, India’s energy transition and its broader development agenda would struggle to advance rapidly. Perhaps the most important security guarantee in this regard would be a steady flow of minerals that are not available in required quantities at home. Amid the global flux caused by policy upheavals in the United States (US), establishing new supply chain connectivity with Latin America—not just in critical minerals but other export and import items—could power India’s own ambitions in this sector and provide much-desired predictability. At the heart of this concept is the famous Lithium Triangle, which spans Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile, containing over 60 percent of the world’s lithium reserves located beneath its salt flats and deserts. In the mountains of Chile and Peru, large copper deposits form another hub for a potential global energy transformation. These resources, hidden in distant landscapes, could become lifelines for India’s economic and environmental goals. The trajectory of India’s engagement with Latin America in critical minerals could shape its economy.
Latin America’s Role in Powering India’s Clean Energy Goals (Vivek Mishra, Prakreeti Chaudhary – Observer Research Foundation)
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