Lithium has become one of the most sought-after minerals in the world since lithium is a crucial part of batteries used in many different technological products. With the rise of electric vehicles, cell phones, and other technological advancements, the need for lithium has only increased, making it a commodity of significant economic and strategic value.
Lithium is a crucial commodity for the manufacturing of high-tech goods and the shift to renewable energy sources, which gives it strategic relevance for a nation. A nation’s competitiveness in the high-tech industry, a growingly significant sector of the global economy, can be improved by having access to a steady and secure supply of lithium. The development of jobs and the expansion of the nation’s economy can both be facilitated by lithium production. The Indian Ministry of Mines reported the discovery of 5.9 million tonnes of inferred lithium ore on their Twitter. This deposit alone makes India the country with the fifth-largest lithium reserves in the world. The deposit, lies in the Reasi district in the provinces of Jammu and Kashmir.
India now has the fifth-largest lithium reserves in the world because to this deposit alone. The deposit is located in the Jammu and Kashmir provinces’ Reasi district. Batteries for electric vehicles (TVs), solar panels, and electronic devices are all made from lithium. According to the World Bank, mineral production might rise by as much as 500% between 2020 and 2050, which is required for the clean energy transition. The World Lithium Association predicts a 6-fold rise in demand for lithium between 2021 and 2040 as a result of rising demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy sources.
The only other lithium deposit in India is a minor one with a total weight of 1600 tonnes; this is the country’s first significant lithium discovery. This revelation could help India in its quest to become a key player in the development of electric vehicles. For the time being, India’s manufacturing sector is dependent on lithium imports, primarily from Argentina, Chile, and Australia. Almost 80% of the total lithium consumed in the nation is imported. With the discovery of a sizable reserve, India, which previously primarily depended on imports for the mineral, now has optimism. The fact that the majority of the global reserve is located in regions with severe water stress makes this discovery even more important. India is a potential replacement because the mineral requires a large amount of water for extraction and the majority of the reserves are in nations with water shortages.
Due to Kashmir’s status as a disputed territory and the possibility for additional escalation caused by this finding, it may potentially have an impact on the balance of power in the area. The discovery and use of lithium reserves in a region that still needs a reliable solution would cause Pakistan great concern. This would have significant economic and geopolitical ramifications for the entire world, not just the region. It presents Pakistan with the chance to become a major producer of lithium, which could give its economy and technological advancement a much-needed boost. For Pakistan, this is both an opportunity and a challenge. Pakistan has been putting in significant effort to diversify its economy and lessen its reliance on imports. The discovery of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir is an opportunity for Pakistan to take a major step forward in these efforts, but it is also a source of concern. If India controls the supply of lithium, Pakistan’s access to the mineral could be limited, which would have serious implications for its economic and technological development.
