“Dependency is never neutral. It starts with convenience and ends with leverage.” You know how it starts. A sale. A discount. A little convenience here and there. And before long, you're hooked. You stop checking alternatives. You stop thinking twice. That’s how e-commerce gets you. That’s also how China got the world. The “License” That Locks the Gate Last week, Beijing rolled out something that looks technical on the surface but feels more like a locked door slamming shut. Eight crucial EV battery technologies. If any Chinese company wants to export them, it now needs a license from the state. Sounds bureaucratic. Routine, even. But it's not. It’s a signal. This isn’t about paperwork. It’s about Beijing deciding who gets access to the future—and who doesn’t. If a Chinese EV firm wants to partner with someone in India? They now need government clearance. If they want to set up a plant overseas? Same story. And that’s where India feels the burn. “There is a ...
Strategic analysis on geopolitics, financial systems, and Pakistani affairs, blended with personal stories and commentary from Karachi. Written by Munaeem Jamal.