Daily Current Affairs / China Tightens Rare-Earth Metal Exports, Raising Global Tech and Geopolitical Stakes
Category : International Published on: October 14 2025
China has tightened export controls on rare-earth metals, a move that carries major global economic and geopolitical implications. Rare-earth metals, a group of 17 critical elements used in electric vehicles, mobile phones, semiconductors, wind turbines and defense equipment, are predominantly produced by China, which processes over 90% of the world’s supply. In October 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce issued Announcement No. 61, imposing export restrictions on five additional metals—holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium bringing the total number of controlled metals to 12 out of 17. These restrictions, effective from 1 December 2025, require foreign companies to obtain special licenses, which may be denied if the materials are intended for military use.
Taiwan successfully conducted the first underwater sea trial of its indigenous submarine Narwhal to strengthen maritime deterrence.
Read More....Uttar Pradesh will make Aadhaar-based biometric authentication mandatory for property registration from 1 February 2026.
Read More....Rashtriya Ayurveda Vidyapeeth organised a three-day training on medicinal plant identification in Wayanad, Kerala.
Read More....Martyrs Day is observed on 30 January to commemorate Mahatma Gandhi and India’s freedom fighters.
Read More....India has nominated Meghalaya’s living root bridges for UNESCO World Heritage evaluation 2026–27.
Read More....Assam launched the Mukhya Mantrir Eti Koli Duti Paat scheme providing ₹5,000 to over six lakh tea workers.
Read More....Microsoft unveiled its second-generation AI chip Maia 200 to reduce dependence on Nvidia.
Read More....Karnataka hosts 39% of India’s GenAI startups, leading the country in AI innovation, says Economic Survey 2025–26.
Read More....India ranked second globally in consumer optimism in January 2026, according to LSEG–Ipsos PCSI.
Read More....Google DeepMind launched AlphaGenome, an AI tool to analyse DNA mutations and gene regulation.
Read More....
