Modi Warns BRICS That Tech And Critical Mineral Weaponisation Could Disrupt Growth
India pushes supply-chain resilience as China ties show cautious thaw.
Overview
India’s warning at the summit reflects a wider scramble to protect growth from in and technology. As China’s have exposed the risks of concentrated dependence, New Delhi has pushed to diversify sourcing, build domestic processing, and strengthen partnerships, while also keeping open a cautious thaw with Beijing that could preserve trade even as strategic rivalry continues.
Timeline
Rapprochement stays limited
The latest signal is a cautious reset, not a breakthrough, because border mistrust, s, and dependence on sensitive inputs still define the relationship. India is testing whether better dialogue with China can lower economic risk while it continues to against strategic coercion.
China keeps dialogue open
Parallel summit messaging pointed to cooperation rather than open confrontation, with the still focused on trade, supply chains, and . The immediate Chinese posture suggested a willingness to manage tensions within BRICS even as and competition remain unresolved.
India casts warning as a growth issue
Indian coverage framed Modi’s message as an economic resilience argument, not only a geopolitical warning, linking mineral and technology access to manufacturing, , and digital infrastructure. The emphasis was on safeguarding development paths for economies that depend on stable industrial inputs.
Modi warns against tech and mineral weaponisation
Modi told BRICS leaders that the and could hinder shared progress and disrupt growth. He argued that inclusive access to technology and more resilient supply chains were needed to protect development from .
BRICS opens on resilience and cooperation
The summit’s economic sessions focused on , innovation, cooperation, and , giving Modi a platform to frame supply-chain concerns as a shared BRICS issue. The agenda placed trade stability and technology access at the center of the forum’s growth message.
Xi arrives for BRICS sideline diplomacy
Xi’s presence at the created space for direct bilateral engagement with Modi alongside the wider economic agenda. The summit setting linked India-China normalization to a broader discussion of trade resilience, growth, and supply-chain stability.
Border and trade issues remain central
Coverage around the meeting stressed that the thaw remained constrained by , trade imbalances, and concerns over Chinese . India also remained wary of machinery and input restrictions that affect manufacturing and infrastructure projects.
Modi and Xi signal cautious thaw
Ahead of the summit, India and China said their leaders underlined the need to address , , and . The message suggested a pragmatic reset in which both sides would keep talking despite unresolved strategic frictions.
Analysts flag chokepoint politics
Policy analysis in mid-2026 described China’s as , highlighting the risk that mineral and technology controls could shape industrial outcomes. This framing matched India’s growing view that now depends on secure access to both materials and technology.
India expands mineral partnerships
India broadened cooperation with partners such as the US, Japan, Australia, and Europe to secure mining, , and recycling capacity. The aim was to reduce exposure to concentrated Chinese supply while building more reliable inputs for advanced manufacturing and clean energy.
Budget backs rare-earth capacity
The and related industrial measures added support for , processing infrastructure, and cheaper capital goods for critical-mineral projects. These steps showed India treating mineral processing as a manufacturing and priority, not just a trade issue.
New Delhi deepens supply-chain diversification
India accelerated a broader push to diversify away from China by widening and strengthening non-China sourcing options. The policy focus included overseas assets, , and for industrial and energy-transition inputs.
India launches critical minerals mission
India moved to reduce dependence through the , with a plan to secure supplies, expand domestic processing, and build . The mission was aimed at minerals central to , batteries, electronics, and clean energy manufacturing.
China broadens rare earth controls
Beijing widened export controls from raw materials into , , and downstream goods containing Chinese-origin inputs. That shift reinforced Indian fears that critical minerals and related technology could be used as .
China export curbs hit Indian industry
India’s dependence on Chinese and magnet inputs became a sharper policy issue after began disrupting manufacturing supply chains. Reports at the time linked the pressure to production constraints in autos and other industrial sectors, making a more explicit economic concern.