Critical minerals key to national security: Air Marshal Dixit

Critical minerals are crucial for national security, defence capability development, and technological sovereignty, Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to the Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee, said on Tuesday (December 23, 2025).

Speaking at a discussion titled ‘Minerals that Matter: Geopolitics, Sovereignty and Value Chains’, Air Marshal Dixit underscored the role of critical minerals in modern defence systems. “Modern defence systems including jet engines, missiles, precision munitions, radars, satellites, batteries and semiconductors are intrinsically dependent on assured access to these minerals,” he said.

Highlighting the geopolitical dimensions of mineral supply chains, the Air Marshal said that global supply networks for critical minerals are highly concentrated and increasingly subject to export controls and geopolitical pressures. Excessive import dependence, he said, is a major strategic vulnerability.

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He emphasised that self-reliant defence manufacturing and sustained operational readiness are inseparable from secure and resilient mineral supply chains.

Referring to recent initiatives, Air Marshal Dixit highlighted the identification of critical minerals, the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission, and government efforts to strengthen the value chain — from extraction and processing to manufacturing and recycling. These measures, he said, are vital for translating policy intent into tangible outcomes.

The Air Marshal, who was speaking at the event organised by the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies and IP Bazzaar, inaugurated a compilation of 30 technical reports on critical minerals, featuring detailed intellectual property landscape studies and market analyses.