PM Modi’s 5-nation tour to focus on boosting bilateral cooperation in critical minerals

New Delhi [India], July 3 (ANI): With 21st-century technologies increasingly reliant on critical minerals, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming five-nation tour, beginning July 2, is expected to expand India's bilateral cooperation in sectors such as mining, mineral resources, and energy.

At a special briefing ahead of PM Modi's visits to Ghana, Argentina, Brazil, Trinidad and Tobago, and Namibia, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Dammu Ravi, spoke about the growing importance of critical minerals for new-age technologies."In terms of critical minerals, the new technologies of the 21st century, all of them depend on critical minerals, and we have to be aware of the fact that these technologies of the 21st century, critical minerals are very, very important.

We have to find ways to get bilateral understanding mechanisms to be able to capture that. And just not in the context of bilaterally, but also in terms of partner countries, partnering with many countries to be harnessing critical minerals, both in terms of the processes and acquiring these minerals around the world," Ravi said.Ravi highlighted the mineral wealth of Africa and Latin America, saying, "Africa is full of those minerals, and we believe that we have to be much more focused on being able to tap that resource in Africa. And I think KABIL and National Mineral Development Corporation they're very much actively looking at opportunities in Africa.

In this context, the Prime Minister's visit to both Ghana and Namibia becomes very important.

These are areas where we believe there's a lot of opportunity, and we will be looking at it very closely."He added that defence cooperation, critical minerals, and digital public infrastructure (DPI) will be among the top items on the agenda during the Ghana leg of the tour.

Meanwhile, Secretary (East) P Kumaran informed that PM Modi will attend the BRICS Summit in Brazil, which will be followed by a state visit.Earlier, PM Modi had visited Brazil on three occasions, the first in July 2014, followed by another visit in 2019 to attend the BRICS summit, and in November last year to attend the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.