GS Paper I · Resources & Industry
Critical Minerals Current Affairs for UPSC (GS Paper I)
From the syllabus: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary and tertiary sector industries
Why it matters: Questions typically test global supply chain vulnerabilities and the strategic importance of these rare materials for future clean energy transitions.
In the news
September 2026
21 Sep 2026
Addressing Midstream Gaps in Rare-Earth Magnet MissionIndia's ambitious magnet mission faces crucial challenges in midstream processing and value-addition of rare-earth elements. While India possesses significant raw mineral reserves, transforming raw materials into high-performance...
19 Sep 2026
US-China Bilateral Talks on AI and Critical MineralsUS Treasury officials are preparing to discuss artificial intelligence and rare earth supply chains with Chinese counterparts. The discussions come as Chinese open-weight AI models gain rapid popularity among US tech firms due to cost...
13 Sep 2026
Prime Minister Warns Against Weaponisation of Technology and Critical MineralsSpeaking at the BRICS Summit, India highlighted four core pillars for future cooperation: resilience, innovation, cooperation, and sustainability. India cautioned global leaders against the growing tendency to weaponise technology and...
01 Sep 2026
India and Chile Aim to Finalize Expanded Trade AgreementIndian commerce officials met with their Chilean counterparts in Santiago to reaffirm their commitment to concluding an expanded trade agreement within the year. The proposed deal aims to enhance bilateral trade in critical minerals,...
July 2026
11 Jul 2026
China Imposes Temporary Export Restrictions on Crucial Helium GasChina has announced a temporary export ban on helium, a critical resource required in high-tech manufacturing, medical scanners, and aerospace applications. Ironically, China imports more than 80% of its own helium needs while producing...
07 Jul 2026
India and Indonesia Ink BrahMos and Critical Mineral DealsDuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bilateral visit, India and Indonesia signed landmark agreements for the export of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and cooperation in critical mineral supply chains. The Indonesian government also...
Practise Critical Minerals
8 of our latest questions on this topic.
Question 1 of 8
In the context of India's strategic mineral sector, what is the primary bottleneck in achieving self-reliance in rare-earth permanent magnets?
Mains practice
Developing economies today face interconnected vulnerabilities spanning climate disruptions, non-tariff trade barriers, and technology supply chain risks. In light of emerging challenges like Super El Nino events, unilateral carbon tariffs, and critical infrastructure cyber threats, analyze how India can integrate domestic regulatory reforms with strategic global partnerships to build resilient economic growth.
15 marks
Previous years' questions
Past exam questions sorted by topic are coming here. Until then, the full papers are in our previous papers library.