China to Ease Export Restrictions on Fertilisers, Rare Earths & TBMs, but India’s Self-Reliance Remains Key

China's decision to start sending fertilizer, rare earth minerals, and tunnel boring machines (TBMs) to India again should help industries dealing with supply problems. Still, experts and officials keep saying that India needs to be more independent for its financial and strategic safety.

The announcement came after talks in New Delhi between India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi. This suggests a new attempt to fix trade relations, even with ongoing disagreements about borders and diplomacy. The Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit, which was about trade, economic connections, and making trade easier, led to China's promise to fix India’s main supply worries: fertilizers, rare earth elements (REEs), and advanced TBMs, which are very important for metro and building projects.

India gets a large amount of its urea, diammonium phosphate (DAP), NPK fertilizers, rare earths, and high-capacity TBMs from China. The recent limits worried India because building projects, like metros and expressways, were being held up. Also, the electronics, renewable energy, and advanced manufacturing industries had problems with rare earth shortages, which damaged growing areas like electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense manufacturing.

Minister Jaishankar restated that it’s important to avoid disruptive blocks and limits, pushing for steady, helpful economic ties. He said that India and China, as big economies, need to treat each other with respect and consideration. Both governments agreed that economic stability is key for regional and global supply chains.

Despite this diplomatic progress, analysts tell India to be careful. The Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) and similar groups say that these easier limits could be changed if the relationship goes bad again. They suggest plans that push local making, resource growth, and tech sharing in these import areas.

India's government is already trying to be independent in fertilizers through local making plans, joint projects, and buying from other countries. The mining ministry is also speeding up new searching, auctions, and teamwork to grow local value for rare earths. TBM makers are getting support, import choices, and money for R&D to create their own tunneling tech.

The talks also showed the hard nature of India-China relations. Even though trade is strong, geopolitical worries and distrust remain. Lowering supply chain risks and reliance will likely stay a priority for India, especially for areas that are key to energy changing, building, and national safety.

In short, while reopening trade for key Chinese supplies will ease some worries and help Indian projects move forward, trust and stability depend on India's national effort to build local strength and strategic independence. The message for India is clear: open trade is helpful, but self-reliance is very important.