“The 21st Century
Scramble for Africa” critically examines the global political economy of critical minerals, highlighting how value is disproportionately extracted from the Global South while refining and strategic control remain concentrated in the Global North.
Drawing from India’s list of 30 identified critical minerals, the brief maps extraction zones across the Global South, traces the concentration of refining capacities in a handful of Northern economies, and explores the implications of this imbalance for developing nations.
The analysis emphasizes the urgent need for policy frameworks that support just, equitable, and sustainable mineral partnerships, particularly within the Global South.