'Resource nationalism is becoming a tool of geopolitical leverage.' Analyse with recent examples.

Resource nationalism — a state asserting control over strategic natural resources through export bans, licensing or ownership — has widened from oil to niche industrial inputs. Recent supply shocks confirm it is now a calibrated instrument of geopolitical leverage, though one with real limits.

Why resources translate into leverage

• Supply concentration: the United States (~43%) and Qatar (~33%) dominate world helium output, and critical mineral chains generally rest on a handful of producers [3][4].
• Chokepoint dependence: after the 2026 West Asia conflict, Strait of Hormuz shipping stalled — LNG exports contracted sharply and about 30% of world sulphur transit was disrupted [1][2].
• Non-substitutability: helium, a by-product of natural gas, is irreplaceable in semiconductor wafer cooling, MRI systems and aerospace, so denial hits high-value industry instantly [1][3].

Instruments visible in recent practice

• Outright export bans: China's Ministry of Commerce and Customs imposed a temporary, immediate ban on helium exports on 10 July 2026 [3].
• Licensing gatekeeping: Russia requires Prime Ministerial approval for helium shipments through 2027 [3].
• Withdrawal of public buffers: the US privatised its Federal Helium Reserve in 2024, shifting shock absorption to private firms [3].
• Securitisation: the UN Security Council's July 2026 debate framed critical minerals as a peace-and-security question, not merely trade [4].

Analysing the limits of such leverage

• It is asymmetric, not absolute: China produces barely ~1.6% of world helium and imports over 80%, so its ban is defensive hoarding rather than coercion [3].
• Triggers are often exogenous — the Qatari supply squeeze arose from conflict, not a bilateral dispute [1][3].
• Overuse is self-defeating, spurring substitution, recycling and buyer diversification.

Resource nationalism, therefore, functions less as a permanent weapon than as a stress test of supply-chain resilience. India's answer lies in deepening the National Critical Mineral Mission through exploration, recycling, stockpiles and overseas assets [5], while championing cooperative governance of resource flows. Aligning this with SDG 9 and SDG 12 would convert scarcity into shared resilience rather than rivalry.