Iran attacks Israel economy

Fine tuning her military strategy, Iran is harping on the economic muscle of Israel. In the end, it is economy that is stupid as Bill Clinton usually says. Breaking the geoeconomics backbone of Israel is the strategy Iran has been following since beginning of hostilities.

Iran knew that as a settler colony like Israel cannot last long when the elites and the rich begins to abandon the Promised Land. Most of the people who belong to this cabal cannot stand the regular barrage over their fashionable dwellings in elitist boulevards. Targeting the elites has twin purposes: wearing down their enthusiasm for Greater Israel concept and liquidating their valuable assets inside Israel. This is a classic business strategy followed by Iranian planners while executing their campaign.

Although the attack is localised into selected areas where the economic power brokers live, the macro purpose is not killing them but to kill the economic muscle leading finally to the dilution of geoeconomics clout hitherto enjoyed by Israel. Here are seven inter-connected steps that are unfolding in quick succession:

1. Destruction of the Stock exchange building in Ramat Gan whose market capitalization exceeds USD 475 Billion.

2. Commercial capital of Tel Aviv is almost one-third destroyed where banking finance, shipping, techno headquarters are located along with housing for their staff with related infra-structure facilities.

3. Valuable real estate is next in line. Tzamarot Ayalon in Tel Aviv, Dena in Haifa are significantly targeted. These locations boast fashionable living along with luxury dwellings and expensive boulevards for both residents and expatriates.

4. Vital cities such as Herzliya, Jerusalem and Beer Sheva are specially focussed by Iran. By the way, Microsoft HQ in Beer Sheva has been completely guttered.

5. Follow the money and kill it, is the new theorem Iran is postulating in cities that are connected to investment banking, venture capital and other financial professions that carry out intermediation. Collectively, these are located in financial centres in specific regions.

6. Manufacturing capacity as well as other processes involved in the value chain of major arms manufacturers such as Rafael, Elbit System and Israel Aerospace Industry are zoomed in for elimination.

7. Finally, in addition to the settlers, the focus of Iran is to create fear psychosis upon investors, venture capitalists, biz collaborators of domestic and foreign origin. Needless to say tourism sector is in doom and gloom as Iran continues her business strategy of scuppering the economic arm of Israel in generating income out of tourism which remains so far as a key forex earner for Israel.

The bottom line is once the economic muscle is atrophied any country would feel the pain domestically and thereafter abroad in the area of geoeconomics!

  

Cheers! 

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist

 

China Rare Earth ban tactical to strategic

Often in military conflict a tactical move would easily transform to a strategic one when the impact is tectonic. Business strategy is no stranger to this eventuality. President Trump failed to grasp this strategy manoeuvre when he imposed huge tariff on China. China responded with rare earth ban.

Most of the rare earth usually referred as RE are critical minerals. Out of these there are seven key critical ones, samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, and yttrium. Most countries that are pitched on technology production such as United States are particularly vulnerable due to the supply chain disruptions that can be caused by the exporter.

According to International Energy Agency (IEA) China accounts for about 40% of global reserves, 68% of production and 88% of global supply of Rare Earth minerals. By 2030 two major countries that are in the game would fare according to the stats below:

Mining: China 54% and Australia 18% globally

Refining: China 77% and Australia 12% globally

More than mining it is refining that matters a lot. Once that stage is passed readying RE for export is the most critical function. As regard to RE China has all spectrum neatly fit into her exporting RE in the required form? Put it the other way, China dominates the entire supply chain from the mines to the ports.

If China chooses, there can be a supply chain disruptions at any time. All importing nations of RE have to be at the beck and call of the dragon. It is evidenced that response by importing nations is low bereft of a scintilla of negotiating clout.

The counter measure of RE Restrictions imposed by China to the Trump Tariff is hugely consequential as seen here-under:

a) It cripples US technology suave in terms arms manufacturing and chips production that has dual role in commerce & military

b) At present US stockpile of RE is at dangerously low level and expected to hit bottom before the on this year 2025

c) Entire gamut of productions for civilian use such as technology equipment, electric vehicles and other consumer electronics items have to halted till the supply of RE is replenished to the earlier levels.

In a classic tactical move ending as a startling manoeuvre in business strategy China was able to call the bluff of America and at the same time landed a critical blow to each and every country that dares to touch Chinese exports in the future?

Was it Sun Tzu or Carl Von Clausewitz?  

As a business strategist navigating amid geoeconomics, I submit that it is indeed Clausewitz whose expertise in creating fog of war, friction and chaos amongst allies & enemies has taught the Chinese how to respond to Trump Mania!

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist

 

 

Indo Pak air war gives geoeconomics boost to Pakistan

Whether who won and who lost in the recent air war between India & Pakistan is a geo strategy subject. What matters to me is how Pak boosted her clout in the area of geoeconomics by carefully navigating from war to the business world. Here are snippets from my take:

1. USA policy changes are explicit as regards to their near-negative approach towards Pakistan when U.S. President Donald Trump announced on May 13, 2025, that representatives from Pakistan are coming to the United States to talk over trade & tariff. Pakistan faces a potential 29% tariff on its exports to the United States due to a USD 3 billion trade surplus with USA. This may be mollified to the lower figure. Moreover, it is also announced that South Asia’s crypto hub would be located in Pakistan.

2. Russia signs an agreement valued at USD 2.8 Billion to re-build the Soviet Era steel mill located close to Karachi Port that was discarded in the 1990s due to tensed political situation prevailing at that time.

3. Afghanistan formally joins China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as an extended party and vouches for banning all anti-Pakistan terrorist activities that emanate from its soil. She further made a special mention of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which remains as a thorn in the flesh of Pakistan for quite sometimes.

4. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is being sourced from Azerbaijan at USD 4.6 Billion, Qatar at USD 3 Billion and UAE at USD 1 Billion.

5. In addition World Bank which has a significant lending and investment portfolio in Pakistan, with a total commitment of USD 17 billion across 106 projects would extend it to USD 40 Billion. China, in the meantime defers repayment of existing loans estimated to be USD 3.7 Billion.

6. Overall trade is being boosted. Iran is eying an amount close to USD 10 Billion, Turkey on the other hand harking for above USD 5 Billion. Turkey in turn seeks joint ventures for producing drones, electric vehicles and field armaments.

7. Buying Pakistan military hardware opens up with a bang as Azerbaijan booked USD 4.6 Billion worth of JF-17 jets manufactured by Pakistan under licence from Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) of China.

In sum, the last air war gave a big publicity boast like of which was not seen after the end of World War II when the globe was awakened to the plethora of investments flowing into Japan & Europe. The crux of the matter is Indo-Pak air has morphed into as a moment of denouement where Pakistan emerging victorious not only in terms of military might but squarely in the field of geoeconomics!

 

Cheers!

 

Muthu Ashraff Rajulu

Business Strategist

Mobile: + 94 777 265677

E-mail: cosmicgems@gmail.com

Blog:   Business Strategist