Abstract

Achieving goals of Viksit Bharat will require secure and resilient access to critical minerals as they form backbone of sectors such as renewable energy, electric mobility, digital infrastructure and defence manufacturing. India’s critical minerals landscape is shaped by its heavy reliance on imports, targeted international partnerships and emerging export ambitions, especially in context of green energy transition, advanced manufacturing and national security. India is dependent on other countries for critical minerals. Critical minerals represent both the strategic vulnerability and a significant opportunity for India. A comprehensive critical mineral strategy, encompassing building strong institutions, incentivisation innovation and forging global partnerships, can turn India’s vulnerabilities into strengths, diversify its resource base, and lead the global minerals economy. The coming decade must be India’s exploration and innovation revolution, a decisive leap from dependency to leadership.

Keywords: Critical Minerals, Strategic Autonomy, Import dependence, Supply-Chain Resilience

Overview of Critical Minerals

India today stands at a defining moment in its journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047. As the world undergoes profound geopolitical, technological and economic transitions, access to critical mineral resources has emerged as a key determinant of national strength. Among these, critical minerals, strategic minerals and rare earth elements occupy a unique strategic position, quietly powering technologies that define modern life, while simultaneously shaping future of national security and global competitiveness (Kalantri, 2026). In 21st century, a new trinity — rare earths, strategic minerals and critical minerals — has emerged as backbone of defence preparedness, energy security, aerospace and modern high-tech industrial manufacturing. The geopolitical role of oil-rich nations in last century will be replaced by global power hierarchies gaining mastery and control over these advanced materials (Bhaskar, 2025). Rare earths and critical minerals are no longer just industrial inputs; they are strategic assets. They are essential to defence systems, advanced electronics, renewable energy technologies, space applications, electric mobility, telecommunication and digital infrastructure. In increasingly uncertain global environment, where supply-chains are vulnerable and resource dependencies are being reassessed, India’s ability to secure its critical mineral and rare earth ecosystem has become more critical than ever (Kalantri, 2026). As an emerging global economic powerhouse, it is essential to understand and harness potential of critical minerals to fuel India’s growth, competitiveness and sustainable development. As we navigate complexities and opportunities in domain of critical minerals, it is imperative that we embrace a holistic approach that encompasses economic, social and environmental dimensions where India’s critical minerals needs are met in a sustainable, responsible and equitable manner (Joshi, 2023)

Rare Earth Elements (RREs)

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are key to production of high-power permanent magnets, which are critical to manufacture of wind turbines, jet engines, drones, precision-guided weapons, satellites, semiconductor devices, lasers and medical imaging (Bhaskar, 2025). In era of clean energy, digital connectivity and advanced weaponry, REEs, a group of 17 metals, including 15 lanthanides, as well as scandium and yttrium, form invisible backbone of modern technology (World Trade Center, 2026). Their unique magnetic, catalytic and luminescent properties make them indispensable in defence and high-tech economies for wide range of applications, from wind turbines and electric vehicles to smartphones and guided missiles (Bhaskar, 2025; World Trade Center, 2026). REEs are widely distributed in nature but at low concentrations. The difficulty in mining, separation and refining renders them scarce (Bhaskar, 2025). Their complex extraction and processing make them strategically valuable. But what makes them truly powerful is who controls them (World Trade Center, 2026). China today accounts for roughly 70% of global raw material production, 83% of processing capacity and 92% of all advanced rare-earth products, demonstrating its dominance (Bhaskar, 2025). Over last two decades, China has consolidated near-monopoly over global supply of REEs, controlling lion’s share of mining, refining and manufacturing capacities. This dominance has transformed what should be a straight forward mineral resource issue into a potent lever of geopolitical influence (World Trade Center, 2026).

Strategic And Critical Minerals

While protracted US-China dispute over rare earth elements exposed fragility of global supply chains, an even more pressing crisis looms for strategic and critical minerals — one that India can ill afford to ignore. Strategic minerals are vital for defence, space, nuclear and high-security applications, often complementing rare earth elements in permanent magnets and advanced alloys. Critical minerals are economically indispensable and technologically irreplaceable resources that power clean energy, electric mobility, semiconductors and manufacturing — typically combined with REEs and strategic minerals to drive innovations such as batteries, wind turbines and electronics. Together, they form an interdependent ecosystem essential for national security and sustainable growth (Bhaskar, 2025). In July 2023, Ministry of Mines notified 30 critical minerals vital for economic growth, national security and clean energy transition. Among them, lithium, cobalt, nickel, gallium, tungsten and molybdenum are indispensable for batteries, semiconductors, defence systems, renewable energy systems and high-temperature alloys. Yet India remains dependent, importing 85-95% of its requirements by value. China, which processes over two-thirds of world’s supply for many of these minerals, holds disproportionate leverage. India has negligible domestic production of lithium, cobalt, nickel or tantalum. For nearly dozen minerals, import dependence is 100%, undermining India’s ambitions for 500 GW of non-fossil capacity and Electric Vehicle (EV) program. Even for mineral groups for which India has known reserves — such as REEs or graphite — limited exploration, lack of processing technology and insufficient refining capacity keep India dependent on external suppliers. For example, India's battery demand across stationery and mobility segments is expected to exceed 100 GWh by 2030, necessitating large-scale imports of cells and components. Likewise, despite abundant availability of quartz and bauxite, India imports 95% of high-purity quartz, 90% of ingots, 70% of wafers, and half of all solar cells (Bhaskar, 2025). The consequent import costs of $ 5-6 billion in 2024-25 are expected to reach $ 15-20 billion by 2030, driven by rapid expansion of demand for these materials. With world racing to decarbonise and bolster technological sovereignty, critical minerals have emerged as new front in global power struggles. The ongoing tensions surrounding supply-chains, export restrictions and strategic stockpiling reveal that critical minerals are no longer just commodities; they are vital instruments of economic strength and national security in an increasingly competitive international arena. As global demand for high-technology products and sustainable energy solutions continue to rise, critical and strategic minerals as well as rare earth elements have moved from being niche industrial materials to strategic resources of global importance. Their supply-chains are now closely linked with geopolitics, trade policy, environmental regulation and industrial competitiveness. While all critical minerals play important roles, a small number of critical minerals have emerged as strategically critical due to their outsized influence on clean energy systems, digital technologies, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and if their industrial demand is currently concentrated in subset of components used in energy, electronics, defence and refining. Their importance is amplified by fact that supply-chains are complex, geographically concentrated and technologically intensive posing challenges for countries like India that are major consumers but limited producers of processed critical minerals, creating strategic risks for defence preparedness.

India’s Response: The National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)

The Government of India’s National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), launched in January 2025 with an outlay of ₹34,300 crore over seven years, is a significant step in building resilience. The mission aims to reduce import dependence to 50% by 2035 through accelerated exploration, overseas acquisitions, and large-scale recycling.

Hon’ble Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced setting up of ‘Critical Mineral Mission’ in Union Budget speech 2024-25 on 23.07.2024. The relevant text of the speech is reproduced as follows - “We will set up a Critical Mineral Mission for domestic production, recycling of critical minerals, and overseas acquisition of critical mineral assets. Its mandate will include technology development, skilled workforce, extended producer responsibility framework, and a suitable financing mechanism.” Accordingly, NCMM will be set up for seven years from 2024- 25 to 2030-31 with following vision - “As India embarks on journey of Viksit Bharat 2047, minerals will continue to play an important role for nation’s progress.

The NCMM envisions securing a long-term sustainable supply of critical minerals and strengthen India’s critical mineral value chains encompassing all stages from mineral exploration and mining to beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products. The NCMM seeks to develop a holistic action plan through strategic interventions in form of policy reforms, financial support, infrastructure facilities, human resource development, technological advancements and international collaboration. The Government’s aim is to build a globally competitive and resilient critical mineral ecosystem for India.”

Objectives of NCMM

1. To secure India’s critical mineral supply chain by ensuring availability from domestic and foreign sources.

2. Strengthening value chains by enhancing technological, regulatory and financial ecosystems to foster innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness in mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing and recycling.

Mission Components of NCMM

A. Increasing Domestic Critical Mineral Production

1. Expanding exploration and mining activities
• Undertake 1200 exploration projects
• More than 100 blocks of critical mineral resources to be auctioned

2. Mining in offshore areas
• Polymetallic modules contain minerals like Cobalt, REE, Nickel, Manganese etc.
• Enhanced efforts to explore more Critical Minerals bearing blocks in offshore areas and start mineral production.

3. Critical Minerals Regulatory Support Programme
• Create fast track regulatory approval process for domestic critical minerals exploration and mining projects

4. Concession for Private Exploration
• New Concessions viz. Exploration Licences (EL) for encouraging private participation in exploration activities.

5. Recovery of Critical Minerals from Overburden / Tailings / Fly Ash / Red Mud
• Regulatory regime to be relaxed to encourage optimum recovery of critical minerals from various sources such as overburden, tailings, fly ash, red mud existing mines
• A lower revenue share for critical minerals associated with major minerals.

6. Assessment of Trace Elements / Critical Minerals during Exploration
• Enable collaboration across ministries to integrate data for optimum assessment of trace elements / critical minerals.

7. Formation of Mineral Processing Parks
• Allocate funds to support Critical Mineral Processing Parks.

8. Role of State Governments
• To promote exploration, mining, processing and R & D in Critical Mineral Value Chain and infrastructure support.
• State PSUs to actively participate in acquiring mineral assets abroad.

B. Acquisition of Critical Mineral Assets Abroad

1. Mapping and Acquisition of Significant Critical Mineral Assets
• NCMM will extend support for mapping and detailed exploration of Critical Mineral Assets in resource-rich countries.
• Government will earmark funds to support Critical Minerals Exploration Activities outside India.

2. PSUs and private companies in Overseas Critical Mineral Assets Acquisition
• Motivate Central PSUs and encourage private sector companies to allocate funds for acquisition of critical mineral assets overseas.
• Empowered Committee will give broad directions and inter-ministerial support to PSUs and stakeholders to acquire critical minerals abroad.
• Empower Central PSUs and their JVs, subsidiaries to invest in mineral assets abroad by issuing necessary guidelines.

3. Facilitation of PSU-led Asset Acquisition with Private Sector Collaboration
• Government of India will facilitate central PSUs in leading asset acquisitions in association with private companies contributing capital and sharing revenue

4. Encouraging Private Sector Companies
• To encourage participation of Indian public and private sector companies in acquisition of assets abroad, Government will provide targeted subsidies for mining and for setting up evacuation infrastructure with appropriate finances.

5. Infrastructure Support
• Ministry of Mines will work very closely with Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to engage with regulators from resource country to support development of mineral evacuation infrastructure.

C. Recycling of Critical Minerals

1. Guidelines / SOPs for Recycling of Critical Minerals
• Formulation of separate guidelines / SOPs for recycling of critical minerals to streamline informal mineral recycling sector in India.

2. Incentive scheme for Recycling
• Incentive scheme for setting up minerals recycling shall be introduced by Government.

3. Formation of Recycling Advisory Group on Critical Minerals
• Formation of Recycling Advisory Group to assess presence of different critical minerals in domestic and imported products and suggest necessary measures for optimum recovery of critical minerals from these products.

D. Trade and Markets

1. Enhance Trade with Resource-Endowed Countries
• To enter into Critical Minerals Partnership Agreements with resource-rich countries.
• To work to include Critical Minerals chapters in existing bilateral / Free Trade agreements with countries of interest.

2. Harmonise Tariffs through Bilateral FTAs
• To actively engage with stakeholders concerning revising Critical Mineral sector relevant Harmonised System (HS) codes.

3. Eliminate Import Duties on Critical Minerals
• Government has eliminated import duty on critical minerals based on strategic requirements to facilitate easier flow of these essential resources into India.
• Periodic review also be done.

4. Removal of Import Duty and other Barriers on Recyclable Minerals
• Import duties and other barriers on recyclable materials such as scrap, black mass and e-waste shall be reviewed / eliminated.

5. Develop National Critical Mineral Stockpile / Reserves
• A joint initiative between central PSUs shall be institutionalised to develop National Critical Mineral Stockpile / Reserves Programme, to guard against supply disruptions and aid mineral supply for domestic utilisation.

E. Scientific Research and Technological Advancement for Critical Minerals

1. Promoting Research and Innovation in Critical Minerals
• To support patent filing procedures for innovators, start-ups, and enablers through improving coordination among institutions / organisations

2. Establishing a Centre of Excellence (CoE) on Critical Minerals
• Constitution of Centre of Excellence (CoE) on critical minerals, working on Hub and Spoke Model with other institutions and research labs

3. Supportive Mechanisms and Regulatory Simplification
• To simplify regulations and enhance collaboration with technology labs and academia to bolster local capabilities.

4. Global Collaboration on R & D
• Government will earmark funds specifically to focus on global R & D collaboration across critical minerals value chain.

F. Developing Effective Funding, Financing and Fiscal Incentives

1. Developing appropriate Fiscal Measures
• Mission will make efforts to develop and implement a range of fiscal measures designed to incentivise junior exploration and mining companies.

2. Leveraging Funding from National / International Institutions
• Government will enable participation in international development programmes of institutions such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank and International Monetary Fund.

3. Dovetailing with Existing Schemes
• While formulating specific schemes and guidelines for financing Government activities, it will be ensured that any existing scheme similar to activities proposed is dovetailed into Mission activities.

National Strategy for Critical Minerals for India

A comprehensive national strategy must rest on three pillars: domestic capability building, diversified international partnerships and circular-economy systems that enhance resilience.

Strengthen Domestic Exploration and Value-Chain Integration

India has mapped and explored barely 20% of its vast geological potential, leaving immense untapped reserves of critical minerals locked beneath the surface. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has set ambitious target of over 1,200 exploration projects by 2030, focusing on promising deposits of lithium in Jammu & Kashmir, cobalt in Odisha, and copper in Rajasthan. Yet these efforts risk falling short without fundamental reforms. Current exploration standards fall below global benchmarks such as Australia’s JORC Code and North America’s NI 43-101, eroding investor confidence and deterring substantial institutional capital. In absence of credible, transparent resource reporting, the sector remains dominated by smaller, mediocre players, while high-quality private investment stays shy. To unlock India’s mineral wealth, mining reforms must be bold and swift: introduce internationally aligned exploration and reporting standards, establish single-window clearances, digitise approvals and offer incentives for private and institutional participation.

India must urgently simplify import procedures for critical mineral concentrates, especially those involving trace radioactivity (Bhaskar, 2025).

Build Processing and Refining Capacity

India’s major weakness lies in mediocre process know-how and technology. India is dependent on foreign players for separation of REEs, production of battery materials and advanced refining. Closing these gaps requires investments in cutting-edge R&D, AI-driven remote-sensing, advanced geophysical modelling and deep-seated extraction technologies. While NCMM has designated nine Centres of Excellence to drive innovation, their impact will remain limited unless mineral-specific mandates are assigned in mission mode (Bhaskar, 2025).

Diversify Supply Through Strategic International Partnerships

As global competition for critical minerals sharpens, India must prioritise securing long-term overseas assets through diplomacy and investment. Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL), government's dedicated overseas mining arm, needs urgent restructuring: rather than directly engaging in mining operations, which demand specialised expertise and high risks, KABIL should evolve into a strategic facilitator — coordinating and leading Indian industry in global collaborations, joint ventures, offtake agreements and equity partnerships to ensure reliable, diversified supply-chain. Equally vital is India's deeper engagement with Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), US-EU-led alliance dedicated to forging secure, sustainable critical mineral supply-chains as counterweight to China's dominance. MSP offers India access to high-grade ores, cutting-edge technologies and diversified sources — opportunities that must be seized to bolster strategic autonomy (Bhaskar, 2025).

Build Resilience Through Stockpiles, Recycling and Circular Economy

To insulate against future supply shocks, India must forge a resilient supply-chain for REEs and critical minerals. The proposed ₹500-crore National Critical Mineral Stockpile is vital first step, ensuring 60-100 days’ inventory of five priority minerals - lithium, cobalt, nickel, REEs and graphite - to cushion the economy from export restrictions, geopolitical flare-ups or market volatility. ₹1,500-crore national recycling initiative must be fast-tracked (Bhaskar, 2025).

Need for Critical Minerals, Strategic Minerals, Rare Earth Elements (REEs)

The 21st century is witnessing a new global scramble over critical minerals – REEs earths and batter metals that are indispensable for green energy, electronics and defence, making mineral security core component of national power. Energy, communications, space and nuclear sectors are dependent on various critical minerals and REEs. These minerals are predominantly used in products ranging from mobile phones, computers, batteries, electric vehicles to green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines (Satija, 2023). International Energy Agency notes that materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, and rare earths are “crucial to battery performance” and power technologies from solar panels to EVs. Ensuring reliable supplies of these minerals has thus become “major priority” and key part of energy security worldwide. Disruptions – from pandemic-induced logistics breakdowns to China’s surprise export curbs on rare-earth magnets – have highlighted fragility of global supply-chains. For India, heavily dependent on imports, this is a wake-up call. Critical minerals are essential for country’s economic development and national security, and their concentration in few locales can create dangerous bottlenecks. Securing these materials is imperative for India’s strategic autonomy and security. India’s strategic and defence sector also needs critical minerals for manufacturing of defence equipment. Domestic production and sourcing of these minerals for nuclear and defence applications is also paramount. The applicability of critical minerals in energy, food, telecommunication, electronics, defence sectors makes development of domestic industry and resilience of global supply-chains is urgent policy necessity. By 2030, India aims to have at least 50% of its cumulative installed power capacity sourced from non-fossil fuels, while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions by 1 billion tonnes and lowering carbon intensity to below 45%. The transition towards decarbonisation, is expected to drive significant demand for critical minerals to support manufacturing of electric vehicles, wind and solar energy projects and battery storage systems (Critical Mineral Mission, 2025).

India’s defence modernisation and industrial expansion is inextricably tied to a reliable supply of critical minerals. Advanced military platforms, from fighter aircrafts and precision-guided munitions to radars, satellites and electronic warfare systems, all depend on a range of strategic minerals that are sourced through highly concentrated global supply-chains. China’s dominance across the processing and refining of several of these gives it significant leverage over global production networks in response, countries are moving to secure domestic resources, fueling a broader wave of resource nationalism. The tech war between US and China has demonstrated how major powers are increasingly willing to use export controls, sanctions, and regulatory tools as instruments of economic coercion. For India, this raises concerns about the cascading effects on the defence manufacturing timelines, maintenance cycles and broader industrial capacity (Observer Research Foundation, 2026).

Lists of Critical Minerals

Based on their individual needs and strategic considerations, different countries create their own lists of critical minerals. US has list of 50 minerals, EU has 34, UK has 18, Japan has 31 and Australia has 26 minerals. In June 2023, India came out with its first comprehensive report on critical minerals, where it identified list of 30 minerals vital for economic growth, national security and clean energy transition, in focussed strategy to push India towards “self-reliance” and create an 'Atmanirbhar Bharat.' These minerals include Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, PGE, Phosphorous, Potash, REE, Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, Selenium and Cadmium (Satija, 2023). Among them, lithium, cobalt, nickel, gallium, tungsten, and molybdenum are indispensable for batteries, semiconductors, defence systems, renewable energy systems and high-temperature alloys. India remains dependent, importing 85-95% of its requirements by value. China, which processes over two-thirds of world’s supply for many of these minerals, holds disproportionate leverage. India has negligible domestic production of lithium, cobalt, nickel, or tantalum. For nearly dozen minerals, import dependence is 100%, undermining India’s ambitions for 500 GW of non-fossil capacity and EV program (Bhaskar, 2025).

Geographically Concentrated Critical Minerals

Critical mineral resources across the world are geographically concentrated with at least 55% of each of identified critical minerals found in only 15 countries. Significant amount of lithium reserves is found in Latin American countries. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has almost 50% of world’s cobalt reserves. Indonesia and the Philippines have abundant nickel and cobalt reserves, with Indonesia standing out as a global leader in nickel reserves. Moreover, China produces about 60% of REEs and molybdenum, while covering for almost 85% processing of much of overall global rare earth supply. According to IEA, although mining operations for critical minerals have become more geographically diverse, little has changed for refining facilities. China controls 50% of planned lithium chemical plants, while Indonesia dominates with 90% of planned nickel refining facilities. India is a major producer of minerals like graphite and silicon, with reserves of select critical minerals with potential for further development. India needs to develop an indigenous critical minerals value chain along with addressing sourcing (Critical Mineral Mission, 2025). Energy, communications, space and nuclear sectors are dependent on various critical minerals and rare earth elements. These minerals are used in products ranging from mobile phones, computers, batteries, electric vehicles to green technologies like solar panels and wind turbines. Indian Economic Survey 2022-23 termed availability of REEs and critical minerals as next possible “geopolitical battleground” just as crude oil has been over last 50 years (Satija, 2023).

Clean Energy and Critical Minerals

Rapid deployment of clean energy technologies as part of energy transitions implies significant increase in demand for critical minerals. An electric car requires six times mineral inputs of traditional car and onshore wind plant requires nine times more mineral resources than gas-fired plant. Shift to clean energy system is set to drive huge increase in requirement for these minerals (Satija, 2023). As energy transitions accelerate, clean energy technologies are becoming fastest growing demand segment. Domestic electric vehicle (EV) market is expected to grow at CAGR of 49% between 2022 and 2030.

Global Scenario for Sourcing Critical Minerals

While critical minerals are found in large extents across the globe, extracting and refining them is costly, technically difficult and energy intensive. China dominates entire value chain accounting for more than half of world’s production of battery metals including lithium, cobalt, and manganese and as much as 100% of REEs. China controls 72 % of world’s solar modules, 69% of lithium-ion batteries and 45% of wind turbines and produces 63% of world’s rare earth elements, including 45% of molybdenum. China has taken majority stake in cobalt mines of Democratic Republic of Congo, which in turn produces 70% of world’s output. Australia is world’s largest producer of lithium. However, more than 99% of value in lithium battery production is added during chemical processing, cell manufacturing and assembly, which is currently dominated by China. There are genuine security concerns related to criticality in building more diverse and dependable value-chains for critical minerals, about their environmental and social sustainability and technological challenges. The complexity of value-chains, high investment overheads for processing and small markets imply that only handful of businesses or countries participate in critical minerals market (Satija, 2023).

The Strategic Imperative

India’s vulnerability in realm of critical minerals is stark. India remains 100 percent import-dependent for lithium, cobalt, and nickel— minerals indispensable for manufacturing EV batteries and energy storage systems. For REEs, India imports significant volumes from China, which controls 70% of global mining and 85-90% of processing capacity. This dependence creates economic and strategic risks. REEs are integral to precision-guided munitions, radar systems, fighter aircraft and naval vessels. India’s defence modernisation programs and its semiconductor manufacturing ambitions cannot progress without secure access to these materials. The convergence of energy transition goals – 50% non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and defence requirements makes critical mineral security a cornerstone of national sovereignty.

India’s Drive for Sourcing Critical Minerals

India has committed to five broad climate change mitigation strategies in UNFCCC Conference of Parties COP26 in Glasgow, including growing its non-fossil fuel energy capacity to 500 GW by 2030, reducing carbon intensity of economy by 45% by 2030, and achieving target of Net Zero emissions by 2070. Decarbonisation will require critical minerals for India’s transition towards renewable power generation and electric vehicles. India started its journey for sourcing critical minerals many years back, when an early initiative in this direction came from Planning Commission of India in 2011 which highlighted need for strategic mineral resources for our industrial growth. It analysed 11 groups of minerals under metallic, non-metallic, precious stones and metals and strategic minerals. In 2016, Department of Science and Technology (DST), in collaboration with Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), came out with Critical Minerals Strategy for India in 2016, which identified 13 minerals that would become most critical by 2030. In 2019, India set up an expert committee on exploration and sourcing of critical minerals for tie-ups with other countries, specifically for cobalt and lithium sourcing from Australia, Argentina and Bolivia. India created KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Limited), a joint venture of three public sector companies, to ensure sourcing of critical and strategic minerals for supply to the domestic market. In June 2023, India released comprehensive list of 30 critical minerals. The Geological Survey (GSI) of India has shifted its focus to finding out new resources of critical and deep-seated minerals through advanced exploration techniques. Amendment in MMDR Act in 2021 allowed accreditation of private exploration agencies and using National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) funds for exploration of new deposits through these agencies. India’s first and only lithium deposit with 5.9 million tonnes of reserve has been discovered in Jammu & Kashmir by GSI. MMDR Amendment Act, 2023 came out in August with focus on critical minerals, where it emphasised on exploration of critical minerals where a private exploration agency can explore block for grant of mining lease through auction. It is expected to attract mining companies having expertise in exploration of specific deep-seated and critical minerals such as REE, gold, lithium, platinum etc. The Amendment Act also removed six critical minerals from list of atomic minerals (lithium, beryllium, titanium, niobium, tantalum and zirconium) and placed them with other minerals which shall be auctioned by Central Government. It has allowed private sector participation in such critical minerals, which would bring advanced technology, finance and expertise, thereby accelerating exploration and production of critical minerals in India (Satija, 2023).

Dependence on imports from China poses a security challenge for India

Critical minerals play a vital role in national security, economic development and energy independence. These minerals include lithium, cobalt, graphite and REEs, which are crucial for producing several commodities, including solar panels and electric batteries. These minerals are also necessary for various military applications, defence equipment, and cutting-edge technologies. India has identified 30 such minerals that are important for its technological advancement and national security. This includes lithium a vital component of lithium-ion batteries essential for drones. Likewise, space programme depends on critical minerals and rare earth elements to create optical systems, specialised alloys, heat shields, and electronic systems for equipment like satellites, rovers and spacecraft. Critical minerals are also integral to semiconductors. However, China’s near monopoly in this sector poses a major challenge. In 2022, it produced 68% of REEs, 70% of graphite, and processed 90% of REEs and 74% of Cobalt. This near monopoly translates into India’s heavy dependence on India’s lithium imports come from China. This dependence poses significant national security risks. Despite massive commercial benefits of exporting critical minerals to the world, China has had history of weaponizing these supplies for coercion. In 2010, China banned exports of REEs to Japan for two months following latter’s capture of a Chinese captain who had rammed his vessel into a Japanese Coast Guard boat in East China Sea. This ban compelled Japan to re-examine its dependence on Chinese mineral supply chains. In 2023, China restricted gallium, germanium and graphite exports in response to United States’ attempts to curtail China’s access to American semiconductors. India’s reliance on Chinese supplies, therefore, poses a significant challenge. This dependency makes a country vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, embargoes and geopolitical uncertainties. This can render weapons inventory ineffective. Similarly, India may be denied supply of these critical minerals when it needs them most, adversely impacting its defence preparedness. India has taken steps to mitigate this dependency in last few years. Domestically, government has launched Critical Minerals Mission, reduced import duties on various critical minerals, implemented measures to step up exploration campaigns by auctioning off mining blocks. These efforts are being complemented by diplomatic initiatives, where India aimed to secure mineral supply chains by strengthening relations with countries like Argentina, Australia and Chile. Critical Minerals Investment Partnership is one such example of creating robust supply chains. In addition, New Delhi is seeking to obtain mining assets in Latin America (Argentina and Chile) and Africa (Zambia and Congo), which have significant reserves of cobalt and lithium. It has also signed up for US-led Minerals Security Partnership, which strives to make global supply chains resilient to any disruption and promote investment in mining and processing of critical minerals. With India implementing robust military modernisation programme and focusing on technological self-reliance, demand for critical minerals and RREs will expand. It will be important for India to take reduce dependence on China (Patil, 2024).

India Strives to lessen dependence on China for critical minerals

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Union Budget 2024-25 presented in July unveiled a plan to launch a critical mineral mission. It will have a multi-pronged approach from promoting domestic production to recycling and overseas acquisition of critical mineral assets. “Its mandate will include technology development, skilled workforce, extended producer responsibility framework and suitable financing mechanism” the minister announced. Sweeping changes in import tariffs have been introduced to boost processing and refining of critical minerals in India. Custom duties on 25 critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper have been slashed to zero. Earlier, import duties on these minerals ranged from 2.5 per cent to 10 per cent. Duties on graphite, silicon quartz, and silicon dioxide have been reduced from 5 – 7.5% to 2%. The government has taken first step in right direction realising that dependency on China and others comes with its own attendant risks. India is heavily dependent on China to meet requirements of critical minerals. Around three-fourths of country’s requirements of lithium and lithium-ion, which are critical for electric vehicle batteries, are imported from China. The source of critical minerals is geographically concentrated. China accounts for 79% of Graphite and 60% of rare earth mineral reserves. Around 55% of total lithium reserve is found in Australia while Congo has around 70% of world’s cobalt reserve. The concentration is even high in processing, with China dominating across the board. Countries that are at an advantage are those who have discovered deposits with critical minerals and those who have established large critical mineral processing capacity.

Addressing a Business 20 meeting during India’s G20 presidency, Prime Minister Narendra Modi warned that control of critical minerals by a few countries would lead to new form of colonialism. Only few countries dominating mineral resource exploration, refining and processing capabilities have led to geopolitical monopoly of critical mineral resources. Critical minerals play crucial role in India’s strategic and economic future, particularly in ensuring national security and driving transition to greener energy resources. As India’s economy grows, demand for batteries, energy storage systems and other advanced technologies will continue to rise. Critical minerals are essential in meeting this demand (Keshri, 2024).

Global Collaboration for Sourcing Critical Minerals

India, due to limited availability of resources and processing facilities of critical minerals within the country, is now collaborating with different countries for smooth operation of entire critical material value-chain from mining, processing to manufacturing activities. The Resilient Supply Chains Initiative (SCRI) between India, Australia and Japan agreed in September 2020, and agreement among Quad countries to set up working group on critical materials and technologies is step in right direction. India and Australia have also signed Critical Minerals Investment Partnership for working towards investment in critical minerals projects to develop supply-chains between the two countries. In 2020, India, through KABIL, signed an agreement with an Argentinian firm to jointly explore lithium. Australia’s Critical Minerals Facilitation Office (CMFO) and KABIL had recently signed an MoU for reliable supply of critical minerals to India. In June 2023, India joined Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), a US-led alliance of 14 developed countries. India is exploring its mode of association over critical minerals through KABIL with countries like Brazil, DR Congo, Chile, Argentina, Mongolia etc. An MoU has been signed on possibility of exploration of lithium in Argentina. Thus, India has taken right steps for creating an ecosystem for accelerated exploration and production of critical and new age minerals. It will definitely support India’s vision to become self-reliant and developed nation, while leading global efforts on climate change and sustainability (Satija, 2023).

Critical Mineral Asset Acquisition by Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL)

KABIL has signed agreement with state-owned enterprise of Catamarca province of Argentina on 15.01.2024. First ever project for Lithium has been started for exploration and development of 5 adjacent lithium brine blocks covering an area of about 15703 Ha. KABIL signed MoU with Critical Mineral Office (CMO), Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Govt. of Australia in March 2022. Due diligence of projects for selection of lithium and cobalt projects for investment through KABIL, through off take arrangements started.

International Collaboration

1. Mineral Security Partnership (MSP)
• MSP is a collaboration of 14 countries and EU.
• MSP is considering 32 projects of Critical Minerals in different countries.
• Indian companies showing interest in MSP projects.

2. Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET)
• Announced in May 2022.
• Annual iCET review meeting held on 17th June 2024 in New Delhi.
• 12 Projects prepared for taking up under iCET by involving GSI, and IREL along with concerned institutes / organisations in USA.

3. Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)
• US led initiative bringing together 14 partner countries, launched in May 2022.
• Ministry of Mines presented in Trade Promotion Workshop under IPEF Critical Mineral Dialogue on 30th September 2024, highlighting India’s initiatives to develop critical mineral value chain and auctioning of critical / strategic mineral blocks in India.

4. India – UK Technology and Security Initiative (TSI)
• India – UK Technology and Security Initiative launched on 24th July 2024.
• Ministry of Mines is in the taking up research projects related to Critical Minerals under India – UK TSI.

5. Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad)
• Strategic security forum involves – India, USA, Australia, and Japan.
• At 2023 leaders’ summit, partners announced Quad statement of “Principles on Clean Energy Supply Chains in Indo-Pacific”.
• Quad partners have set up Quad investors network (QIN) with working group focusing on clean energy and critical minerals.

6. Bilateral MoUs
• To develop bilateral cooperation with countries having rich mineral resources and advanced technologies. Ministry of Mines entered into MoUs with Governments of various countries such as Australia, Argentina, Chile etc.

Strategic Policy Recommendations and Future Strategy Roadmap

In light of India’s geological potential, evolving policy framework, and persistent structural constraints, India’s critical mineral strategy must be anchored in realism while remaining forward looking. To translate these goals into reality, a multi-pronged strategy is recommended and several strategic directions merit priority (Monappa, 2026):

Scale up Domestic Exploration and Processing: Increase spending on geological surveys and incentivise private-sector exploration in frontier regions. Utilize advanced technologies (GIS mapping, satellite surveys) and expand Mineral Exploration Trust. Fast-track approvals and lease auctions to speed project starts. Build dedicated Mineral Processing Parks to enable local refining of lithium, nickel, REEs, etc., and upgrade existing smelters.

Financial De-risking: The mining value chain is long and capital-intensive. Public-sector undertakings (PSUs) and development banks should play anchor-investor roles. Government loans and grants can de-risk early exploration, while EXIM Bank can offer special lines of credit to mining ventures. Establishing an insurance fund or political-risk guarantee would encourage foreign investment in mining. Performance-based subsidies can ensure state recoups support only when projects succeed

Circular Economy and Recycling: Promote recycling of e-waste, batteries and industrial scrap to reclaim critical minerals. Provide financial incentives for battery recycling plants and research into rare-earth recovery. This not only eases demand on mines but also aligns with sustainability goals. International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and partners estimate that scaling up recycling could cut new mining needs by 25–40% for key minerals by 2050

Strategic Stockpiles: Follow NCMM’s lead in building reserves of critical minerals, analogous to petroleum reserves. Maintain buffer stockpiles to tide over temporary export disruptions.

International Cooperation and Standards: Continue diversifying import sources via bilateral resource pacts and multilateral forums. Negotiate supply-chain cooperation with allies. Advocate for global fair-trade rules on minerals.

Capacity Building: Train skilled workforce in mining and metallurgy, and support R&D for extraction / processing technologies. Establish Centres of Excellence to innovate low-impact mining.

Regulatory Reforms: Simplify land acquisition and environmental clearances for strategic mineral projects, while ensuring sustainability. Streamline auction process to be transparent and speedy. Periodically update critical minerals list to reflect technological changes, and conduct national risk assessments.

Whole-of-Nation Approach: Domestic exploration, processing and manufacturing capacities must be strengthened while simultaneously exercising smart diplomacy and building resilient trade partnerships. Embedding critical minerals security into Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat and green industrial missions ensures that India’s energy transition and technological modernization remain stable. This integrated strategy safeguards long-term economic growth, strategic autonomy and national resilience in an uncertain global landscape

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) 2025.

The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) 2025 marks a watershed moment in India’s strategic planning for critical mineral security. Government’s decision to allocate Rs.34000 Crores for National Critical Minerals Mission, including global exploration and acquisition of 24 critical commodities by 2030-31, demonstrates a bold and forward-thinking approach. This move positions India alongside global powers competing for secure access to vital resources essential for technology, renewable energy and industrial growth. The legislation signifies transition from reactive measures to proactive action, aligning with national visions of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat. As global race for critical minerals intensifies, India’s success will depend on effective implementation of a robust strategy. This requires strengthening integrated approaches designed to address challenges across critical minerals exploration, acquisition and value-chain spectrum, ensuring India not only secures supply but also builds global leadership (Chatterjee, 2025).

Leveraging International Partnerships for Technology and Supply Security.

India should more effectively utilise government to government and plurilateral partnerships to access advanced processing technologies and diversify supply chains. Platforms such as Mineral Security Partnership and Quad offer opportunities not only for diplomatic coordination but for concrete collaboration in exploration, processing and downstream manufacturing. Through such frameworks, India can pursue investments in midstream facilities, collaborative research on separation technologies and structured technology transfer arrangements that go beyond transactional licensing. Overseas asset acquisition should be pursued selectively to complement domestic resources. KABIL can play catalytic role by taking strategic equity positions in foreign mines and integrating them with Indian or jointly operated processing facilities (World Trade Center, 2026).

National Exploration Partnership.

India’s mineral wealth remains vastly underexplored, for critical minerals lithium, cobalt, nickel and rare earth element. While Geological Survey of India (GSI) has strong legacy of baseline mapping, India lacks high-resolution, 4D geological datasets necessary for predictive exploration. The MMDR Act 2025, with its emphasis on exploration and sovereign funding, creates opportunity to reimagine India’s exploration ecosystem. A scientific knowledge-driven strategy must form backbone of this pillar (Chatterjee, 2025). GSI should spearhead National Mineral Mapping programme integrating advanced geophysical, geochemical, isotopic and remote-sensing datasets. These efforts should culminate in comprehensive subsurface geological models and Mineral Fertility Maps, developed collaboratively with Notified Private Exploration Agencies (NPEAs) through Regional Mineral Targeting (RMT) programmes for critical minerals in India. GSI’s role should be of premier science provider, delivering high-quality, pre-competitive datasets to guide exploration. NPEAs should leverage their agility and innovation using National Mineral Exploration Trust (NMET) funding to conducting extensive pre-competitive exploration and systematically test high-priority targets generated by mineral fertility analyses. Public-private synergy will align state-backed scientific infrastructure with private enterprise capabilities, dramatically improving exploration efficiency, accelerating discoveries and positioning India closer to global best practices (Chatterjee, 2025).

Consolidating Research and Development Efforts

India should move decisively toward creation of formal, mission-oriented R & D consortia focused on critical mineral benefication, separation and manufacturing. A coordinated task force bringing together BARC, IREL, CSIR laboratories, IITs and select private sector leaders could be mandated to deliver a defined pipeline of pilot and demonstration-scale projects. Rather than spreading public funding thinly, resources under NCMM and allied programmes should be concentrated on limited number of flagship facilities capable of de-risking technologies to semi-commercial scale (World Trade Centre, 2026).

A Pro-investment financial ecosystem

On financial side, creation of domestic critical mineral trading platform can introduce price transparency, reduce investment risk and enable hedging. Linking India’s exploration sector to Indian Mineral Industry Code (IMIC) – aligned with global reporting standards will further enhance credibility. Encouraging investors to list on NSE and BSE would unlock vast domestic capital empowering explorers and miners to deploy risk capital effectively (Chatterjee, 2025).

Developing Integrated “Mine-to-Magnet” Corridors

India should aim to establish integrated “mine-to-magnet” corridors that bring together successive stages of critical minerals value-chain within defined geographical clusters. These corridors would integrate mining or imported feedstock handling, chemical separation, metal and alloy production, magnet manufacturing and proximity to end-use industries (World Trade Center, 2026).

Building Leadership in Processing, R & D, and METS

Critical minerals security extends beyond securing raw materials, ability to process, refine and innovate across value-chain will determine India’s strategic autonomy. China controls nearly 70% of global processing capacity for key minerals like lithium, rare earths and cobalt, making India highly vulnerable. The MMDR Act, 2025 rightly emphasises research and development, but scale and ambition of India’s efforts must increase significantly to achieve parity with global leaders. Allocating 20 – 30% of NMET budget to extractive metallurgy R & D is critical to bridging ‘lab-to-factory’ gap. National research institutions should work along with private sector to design and commercialise cost-effective and environmentally sustainable extraction and processing technologies. These efforts should prioritise clean separation of rare earths, low-carbon lithium extraction, battery recycling and green metallurgy for base metals. India’s recently approved urban mining initiative, which focuses on recovering strategic minerals from e-waste and mine tailings, is another bold step in building a circular economy. However, beyond primary and urban mining, India’s real competitive advantage could lie in developing world-class Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) ecosystem. The METS sector refers to network of technology providers, engineering firms and service companies that support entire mining value-chain. India’s METS strategy must include innovation grants for NPEA and startups to develop cutting-edge exploration tools and autonomous mining systems; establishing National Mining Innovation Clusters to bring together academia, industry and technology firms; and export promotion of Indian-developed mining software and green processing technologies. By investing heavily in processing and METS, India can create high-skilled jobs and strengthen its technological sovereignty. This will enable India to transition from being a minerals producer to global provider of mining innovation, giving it decisive edge in 21st century race for critical minerals (Chatterjee, 2025).

Strengthening Policy Coherence and Institutional Coordination

Policy coherence and institutional coordination must be strengthened to support execution. Critical minerals intersect with mining, atomic energy, industry, environment, trade and defence, making fragmented governance a significant risk. The NCMM should be empowered with both authority and resources to act as genuine coordinating platform, aligning exploration priorities, processing investments, recycling initiatives and stockpiling decisions with projected domestic demand under electric mobility, renewable energy, electronics manufacturing and defence roadmaps. Regular, credible public reporting on critical mineral reserves, production, project pipelines, and import dependence would improve transparency and investor confidence. Clear timelines for approvals, predictable regulatory processes and structured mechanisms to resolve centre-state and community-industry issues will be essential (World Trade Center, 2026).

Way Forward – From Vulnerability to Leadership

India’s journey in critical minerals is moving from margins of policy thinking to mainstream, shaped by climate commitments, clean energy goals and growing uncertainty. For many years, India’s assets have remained unused due to regulatory restrictions, limited coordination and gaps in technology. Recent policy reforms, launch of national critical minerals mission, production incentives and involvement of new public institutions signal a clear intent to change this and build a more strategic approach to critical mineral development. Translating intent into outcomes will not be easy.

Developing a complete domestic ecosystem from extraction to manufacturing will require sustained investment, access to advanced processing know-how and careful handling of environmental and community concerns (World Trade Center, 2026). India’s decisive reforms, ambitious sovereign funding, and forward-thinking policy intent provide strong foundation for securing critical mineral supply-chains. The challenge lies in execution. The integrated approach outlined – national exploration partnership, pro-investment financial ecosystem, globally competitive processing and METS ecosystem - together form an integrated blueprint for India’s transformation (Chatterjee, 2025). India has identified five critical minerals like Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, Copper, and REEs and remains pivotal for driving its clean energy transition and achieving technological independence. The launch of NCMM in 2025 marks a transformative initiative to secure domestic supply chains, boost exploration, and cut reliance on imports. With combined government and private investment outlay exceeding ₹34,000 crore for 2025-31, mission aims to identify 1,200 deposits, scale recycling capacities, and foster innovation through Centres of Excellence. The nation’s trade partners vary depending on the mineral, with country-wise relationships evolving rapidly due to global supply chain volatility, technological needs and policy initiatives. India is almost 100% import-dependent for lithium, cobalt, and several other minerals. China is single largest supplier for most critical minerals which notably are lithium, REEs, graphite, and cobalt holding substantial sway over India’s supply chains. Emerging partnerships with Australia (lithium, cobalt), Peru, Chile, and Argentina (lithium, copper) reflect India's strategic efforts to diversify supply and reduce reliance on China. This dependency underscores strategic urgency to enhance domestic production capabilities and diversify sources internationally to reduce geopolitical risks and supply disruptions. The critical minerals prioritized underpin key sectors such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, advanced electronics, and defence. Lithium, cobalt, and nickel predominantly serve batteries and alloys, while copper is vital for power infrastructure and grid modernization. REEs, crucial for high-tech and defence applications, have significant import footprint on India’s supply chain, necessitating focused domestic capabilities. India’s critical minerals sector faces significant import dependency risks, especially for lithium, cobalt, nickel, and REEs, all crucial for India’s clean energy ambitions. This heavy reliance underscores urgency for domestic resource development and diversification of import sources. India’s critical minerals market is set for robust growth, projected to exceed $10 billion by 2030, growing at compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 12%, driven by structural and policy-driven demand dynamics. This robust expansion is driven primarily by nation's ambitious renewable energy target of 500 GW by 2030, rapid adoption of EVs and significant growth in advanced manufacturing sectors. Structurally, surge in EV adoption, renewable energy expansion and advanced manufacturing are driving unprecedented demand for lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and rare earth elements. Policy initiatives such as NCMM are enhancing domestic exploration and capacity building with projected investment of ₹34,300 crore through 2031. Efforts to develop 270-kilotonne recycling capacity and foster innovation through multiple Centres of Excellence are expected to further strengthen supply chain and reduce import dependency, positioning India for a multi-billion-dollar market opportunity by 2030. China’s October 2025 export controls extended beyond raw materials to processing equipment—centrifuges, vacuum furnaces, and separation systems—targeting capability rather than merely volume. For India, this represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge lies in immediate supply disruptions. India’s EV sector depends heavily on imported battery components. China’s restrictions on REEs and other critical minerals particularly neodymium-iron-boron varieties essential for EV motors, threaten production timelines and cost structures. The opportunity resides in diversification imperatives. India’s membership in MSP, a US-led plurilateral initiative comprising 14 countries, provides frameworks for co-financing and strategic project selection. India’s accession to MSP Finance Network connects domestic financial institutions with international counterparts, mobilizing capital for exploration and processing infrastructure. Simultaneously, India is strengthening bilateral partnerships. Agreements with United Arab Emirates and Russia’s energy sector entities diversify supplier relationships. Amended MMDR Act, now permits NMET funds to finance overseas acquisitions, providing institutional backing for KABIL’s expanding footprint.

By focusing on building capacity where it matters most and by embedding itself within trusted international supply networks India can move towards greater resilience. If current reform momentum is sustained and implementation is handled with care and consistency, critical minerals sector has potential to shift from long standing missed opportunity to source of strategic strength and international collaboration in global energy transition (World Trade Center, 2026).

The current global concentration of these resources and ability to refine them being restricted to handful of countries exposes a strategic vulnerability but also opens an opportunity for India. By accelerating domestic geological exploration, investing in refining and processing infrastructure, nurturing critical minerals and forging resilient international mineral partnerships, India can convert structural dependency into engine of national power. Doing so will reinforce India’s strategic autonomy by building up confidence that India can chart its destiny without fear of external coercion or supply-chain shock. As policy, industry and technology align, India is well-positioned not merely to raise its status in global economy of strategic minerals, but to be seen as a stable and resilient industrial power.

Conclusion

India must move from being passive participant in global supply-chains to becoming a confident producer, processor, innovator and steward of critical minerals. While India is endowed with significant critical minerals potential, unlocking this opportunity requires holistic approach that integrates policy foresight, technological capability, environmental responsibility and human capital development. India also recognises that self-reliance in critical minerals is intrinsically linked to national security. Dependence on limited global sources for materials vital to defence and strategic technologies is a vulnerability India cannot afford. Through collective action, India can emerge as responsible and resilient leader in global critical mineral landscape. Critical Minerals should be viewed not merely as resources beneath the ground, but as enablers of India’s future, fueling innovation, strengthening security shape a stronger, more self-reliant nation. India’s decisive reforms, ambitious sovereign funding, and forward thinking policy intent provide a strong foundation for securing critical mineral supply-chains. The challenge lies in execution. The integrated approach outlined - national exploration partnership, pro-investment financial ecosystem, globally competitive processing and METS ecosystem - together form an integrated blueprint for India’s transformation. This approach positions India not merely as a mineral producer but as global leader in exploration technology, processing innovation, and sustainable mining practices.

Critical minerals security is no longer a sectoral agenda, it is central to India’s industrial sovereignty, clean energy transition, and economic competitiveness. India stands at a pivotal juncture. By building strong institutions, incentivisation innovation, and forging global partnerships, the nation can turn vulnerabilities into strengths, diversify its resource base, and lead the global minerals economy. The coming decade must be India’s exploration and innovation revolution, a decisive leap from dependency to leadership. As India accelerates its economic growth, clean energy transition and advanced manufacturing ambitions, demand for critical minerals is expected to increase significantly. This acceleration is closely linked to national initiatives such as Viksit Bharat which envisions India as a technologically advanced, self-reliant and globally competitive economy. Achieving goals of Viksit Bharat will require secure and resilient access to critical minerals as they form backbone of sectors such as renewable energy, electric mobility, digital infrastructure and defence manufacturing. Critical minerals represent strategic vulnerability and significant opportunity for India. Apart from exploration and research activities, by learning from global best practices and tailoring them to domestic realities, India can move from position of reactive defender to proactive engagement in global critical mineral supply-chains. A comprehensive critical mineral strategy encompassing resource assessment, overseas partners, domestic processing capabilities and technological innovation will be crucial for ensuring long-term economic resilience, strategic autonomy and sustainable development in an increasingly competitive global landscape.

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