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Strategic Lens

Critical minerals: India and China

First country

Second country

In 2025, India sold USD 425 million of critical minerals and metals to China and bought USD 156 million from it.

Constraints

  • BothTwo-way trade in critical minerals and metals is 56 percent below its 2021 peak of USD 1.32 billion.

Sources: UN Comtrade (public preview API), annual goods trade, HS classification (retrieved 26 September 2026)

Last updated on 26 September 2026

The numbers

India's exports to China: critical minerals and metals

USD billion · 2019 to 2025, calendar years, as reported by India

2019: 0.54Low 0.32 / High 1.262025: 0.43

20190.54
20200.57
20211.26
20220.5
20230.33
20240.32
20250.43

Sources: UN Comtrade (public preview API), annual goods trade, HS classification (retrieved 26 September 2026)

Data retrieved 26 September 2026

India's imports from China: critical minerals and metals

USD million · 2019 to 2025, calendar years, as reported by India

2019: 88.9Low 56.7 / High 155.52025: 155.5

201988.9
202062
202156.7
2022114.3
2023132.3
202498.1
2025155.5

Sources: UN Comtrade (public preview API), annual goods trade, HS classification (retrieved 26 September 2026)

Data retrieved 26 September 2026

More on this relationship

Benefits

  • IndiaAfter talks in July 2025, China reportedly agreed to address India's concerns over rare earth magnets and minerals.

Constraints

  • IndiaIndian automakers faced shortages when China restricted rare earth metals.

Sources: Wikipedia: China–India relations (revision of 23 September 2026)

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