Several key economic portfolios have been reshuffled in Saudi Arabia, with industry once again under Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, and former Minister Bandar Al Khorayef now overseeing military and defence industries as in an acting role  capacity

In 2019, Saudi Arabia created a separate Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources to manage mining and industrial development independently of energy, reflecting the Kingdom’s push for economic diversification.

The new setup suggests the Kingdom wants closer coordination between energy, mining, and industrial policy, likely to speed up decision-making and strengthen economic diversification.

Saudi Arabia is keeping military production separate while still treating it as part of its strategic industrial agenda by establishing a General Authority for Military Industries. A similar pattern is found in other countries: minerals and energy are sometimes grouped together for efficiency, while defense manufacturing is typically managed by a separate authority.

Overall, the move signals a stronger integration of industrial strategies. As national planning becomes increasingly interconnected, minerals, energy security, and defense capabilities become more critical

China is often cited because it has strong control over critical minerals that matter for both civilian industry and defense supply chains.Canada links critical minerals with energy, clean technology, and defence

Europe is also moving in this direction, with defense and energy security discussions increasingly tied to critical raw materials and reliable supply chains. So the Saudi move fits into a wider global pattern: countries are realizing that minerals, energy, and defense are now strategically connected.