The treaty, signed in 1996, expires next year, and there are unresolved issues with regards to water sharing arrangements. Both Bangladesh and India will need to negotiate a more thorough, equitable and climate-resilient deal.
Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam have a sizeable presence in the global REE supply chain – now a geopolitical focal point – but although they may have substantial reserves, their REE production levels are still lower than China's.
Some want philanthropy to fill the gap, and others have shamed governments for stepping back. The former is unrealistic, while the latter ineffective. But even with constrained budgets, governments can provide assistance to scale up proven solutions.