India Establishes Committee to Address Population Changes Amid US Mineral Deal

The Indian government has established a high-level committee aimed at investigating significant alterations in demographic patterns, which are believed to stem from illegal immigration and other unusual factors. Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized that these so-called ‘unnatural demographic changes’ pose a serious challenge for the nation.

Justice Prakash Prabhakar Naolekar, a retired Supreme Court judge, has been appointed to lead the committee. The panel will also include notable members such as the Census Commissioner, former Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh Durga Shanker Mishra, former Director General of the Bureau of Police Research and Development Balaji Srivastava, and economist Shamika Ravi. The committee’s task will be to scrutinize population shifts among different religious and social communities and propose potential solutions to these issues, as highlighted by Shah.

This initiative comes in the backdrop of rising concerns about the implications of demographic changes in various regions of India. The government is aiming to tackle potential threats to social harmony and national security that these changes might engender, particularly in areas experiencing significant population influxes.

In a separate yet significant development, India and the United States have unveiled a new framework to enhance collaboration in securing a consistent supply of critical minerals. This move arises from growing apprehensions regarding China’s stringent export controls on rare earth elements, which are crucial for the production of advanced technology and defense equipment.

The agreement was formalized in Delhi, where External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed the framework. The pact aims to bolster bilateral relations by improving supply chains related to critical minerals and rare earth elements. This includes facets such as mining, processing, recycling, and associated investments, positioning both nations to mitigate risks and secure their technological advancements.

The strategic partnership between India and the US has been gaining momentum, particularly through frameworks like the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad), which further emphasizes the importance of cooperation in defense and technology sectors.

Source: scroll.in