India holds talks with ethnic militia in Myanmar over rare earths
To reduce reliance on Beijing, India has directly engaged with the Kachin Independence Army. The Ministry of Mines has held discussions with state-owned enterprise IREL and private company Midwest Advanced Materials to assess the potential for large-scale exports. Meanwhile, domestically, the Indian government has decided to exclude mining projects from public consultation requirements, thereby excluding local communities from mining projects.
Yangon (Asia News/Press Agency) – India has directly engaged with the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of the main ethnic armed groups opposing the Burmese military government. Delhi's goal is to obtain rare earth samples to reduce dependence on China, as China almost controls all mineral trade in Myanmar.
Reuters cited sources stating that the Indian Ministry of Mines coordinated the action in July, involving state-owned enterprise Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) and private company Midwest Advanced Materials. The latter has reached an agreement with the rebels to submit the first samples and evaluate large-scale exports.
This is a rare move for India, which typically avoids engaging with independent armed groups. The Kachin Independence Army occupied the Chipwe-Pangwa mine belt in October 2024, controlling one of the richest areas for dysprosium and terbium minerals in the world.
The Catholic Church in Myanmar had previously expressed opposition to mining activities in the region, stating that such activities would cause soil and water pollution. In March 2023, Bishop Raymond Sumlut Gam of Banmaw and four other diocesan bishops condemned the impact of environmental destruction, emphasizing that natural resources are "a gift from God" and should be cherished, and highlighting the moral responsibility to protect these resources for future generations.
Control over the mines has enhanced the political and military influence of the Kachin Independence Army. Since 1961, the KIA has been fighting for autonomy for the Kachin people and is one of the most active fronts opposing the military government since the 2021 coup.
Currently, the rebels are vying for strategic locations in the eastern part of Kachin State, Bhamo. According to the KIA, the Burmese army recently recaptured two bases, and the KIA launched its first offensive there in December last year.
This war has also affected the Catholic community in the region: in March this year, the St Patrick Cathedral in Banmaw was set on fire by the military, and the bishop was forced to flee in late 2024.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has taken new measures to accelerate the acquisition of rare earth resources.
The Ministry of Environment has decided to exempt mining projects involving atomic energy, critical, and strategic minerals from the public consultation obligations required under the Environmental Impact Assessment regulations.
This decision ended the participation of local communities, who could have voiced their opinions on mining plans during the public consultation period.
The government justified this decision on the grounds of "defense and security needs," and the Ministry of Defense and the Department of Atomic Energy also supported it, reporting that there is a severe shortage of rare earths used in radar, sonar, and communication systems.
Although mining projects will continue to be assessed by expert committees, Delhi has long been committed to streamlining approval procedures to develop new mining areas. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Mines released a list of key elements requiring individual authorization.
But as early as 2023, a law was introduced aimed at promoting mineral exploration and extraction, regardless of whether it caused environmental damage.
Author: Gregory
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1844100054758603/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author(s) only.