Category Center for the Study for Finance and Economics

Rare

Mining Power: China, the US, and the Fight for Rare Earth Dominance

Beijing’s new export curbs on rare earths and other tech materials mark a new phase in its bid to weaponize its supply dominance. As Xi tightens control over inputs critical to the US and Trump threatens China with a 100% extra tariff, who will blink first?

Beijing is tightening its clamps on components that are integral to technology supply chains. Lithium batteries and related material, artificial diamonds that have industrial uses and rare earths like holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium have been put on China’s export-control list.

Political Flux and Economic Headwinds: Reading the CCP’s Fourth Plenum

Political Flux and Economic Headwinds: Reading the CCP’s Fourth Plenum

The much-delayed Fourth Plenum of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee met in Beijing from October 20-23. Of the seven plenary sessions during a CCP congress, the fourth typically focuses on strengthening the party and governance. At this meeting, the formulation of the 15th Five-Year Plan for 2026–2030, personnel appointments and policy changes took precedence over other matters.

Crony

What Exactly Makes a Crony Capitalist?

From the exploitative moneylender of iconic movies like Mother India to the factory owner who employs goons to beat up workers who dare to stand up against exploitation, the protagonist of business has tended to be portrayed, in the public discourse, as being deficient in ethics. Of late, a subspecies of the immoral tycoon has grownlarger than life: the crony capitalist.

Trump

Trump’s “Make It in America” Push Is Falling Flat

The most momentous event of the last week has been the Gaza ceasefire. It has brought respite for Palestinians from genocidal slaughter and famine, and brought 20 hostages back home to Israel. The peace deal is still fragile, and could unravel.

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Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (2025)

Policy UpdateAtharva Salunke Background: The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) is the principal body responsible for exploration and production, refining, distribution, import, and export of petroleum, natural gas, and allied products in India. Since oil and gas are…

Sector

North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) – 2015

The North East Road Sector Development Scheme was launched during the Financial Year 2015-16, to take up rehabilitation, construction, and/or upgradation of the following categories of roads (including bridges on the roads) in the North Eastern Region (NER) in order of priority:

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