An important agreement was reached between America and Australia on Monday (20 October). US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed this agreement. This deal is related to rare earth minerals and critical minerals, which are necessary in making electric vehicles, jet engines and defense equipment.

Trump told in the White House that this agreement was completed after four-five months of negotiations. The two leaders also discussed trade, defense equipment and submarine projects. Albanese said the total value of this agreement was 8.5 billion dollars (about Rs 71,000 crore). Under this deal, both the countries will invest in mining and processing projects in the next six months. Also, a minimum price floor has been fixed for critical minerals, which was a demand of western companies for a long time.

America is increasing trust in Australia

China has the world’s largest rare earth reserves, but Australia is also an important player in this field. America is now increasing its trust in its QUAD partner Australia so that its dependence on China is reduced.

This agreement also has geopolitical importance. Western countries now want to reduce dependence on China. In recent months, China has tightened rare earth export controls, increasing pressure on the global supply chain. America and its allies consider it a threat to global industries.

What is the challenge for India?

This news is special for India. America is taking minerals from its QUAD ally Australia, while India is still dependent on China in many areas. The question arises that if India also deals with China in its own interest, then why should it be considered a ‘strategic risk’, whereas America is doing the same thing. This deal will strengthen US-Australia economic and defense ties and could change the balance of power in the Indo-Pacific region. The challenge for India is whether it should go along with global politics or take steps in the interest of its resources.

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Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir is directly in touch with the Trump administration to persuade the US to excavate rare meaning and oil. Analysts say the deal may offend the local population and entangle Washington into unstable domestic conflict.

Times of Israel report
According to the report published in the Times of Israel, Trump is assured that Pakistan may be a source of rare minerals and oil. But it has been removed from the President’s briefing that mining in areas like Balochistan, Waziristan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will be extremely difficult or impossible. These areas are also hostile to Pakistan’s army and have given up to China here.

Warning of experts
Geophysical expert Sergio Restley says that if Trump continues on this path, the US will again return to the same areas which Biden left, citing Doha Agreement. Other analysts said that Balochistan has long been the center of ethnic and political unrest. The perception of exploitation by external forces has spoiled the situation.

China’s role and local resentment
China’s influence has already increased local dissatisfaction through CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor). Now if the US is involved in extracting resources, then this protest may increase further.

18th Amendment and local rights
According to the resteli, even after 15 years of the 18th amendment in Pakistan, the provinces have not got real rights on their resources. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is full of marble, granite, gems, chromite and copper, yet this area is poor because the profit goes to the center and does not cost local structures, education or health. The condition of Balochistan is the worst. There is a glut of resources like copper, gold, coal and rare meanings, but it is the poorest and backward province in Pakistan.

American interest and potential results
According to the report, the Trump administration has declared rare minerals as a national security priority and is watching Pakistan to reduce dependence on China. At the same time, Islamabad is eager to get foreign currency. But the deals are always fixed in the center, the army implements them and imposed on the local public.

History is a witness that projects like RECO Dick and Sandak brought a promise of billions of dollars but the local people got homeless, pollution and unrest. If America also joined now, this model will become more rigid.

Possible results- not development, repression
Experts say that such projects will not be development but repression-villages will be converted into siege, disagreement will be made a crime, royalty will be stopped and the army will be deployed in the name of strategic security. As a result, the anti -America will be anger and faster, because at the grassroots level people will find this partnership like American collusion.