VOI World/ Astha Pandey
India is stepping up its global critical minerals strategy, with active negotiations underway in Zambia and Chile to secure essential resources for the clean energy transition. Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy announced the developments and highlighted some crucial detailed observations while launching the 6th tranche of Critical Minerals Blocks Auction in New Delhi.
Reddy underlined that the demand for renewable energy and EV batteries will most likely increase three times by the year 2030. However, to keep up with that demand India requires a strong ecosystem that will help the country to sustain, backed by effective R&D support.
He also announced that the Government of India has allotted $4 Billion to build on seven strategic pillars of National Critical Mineral Mission, that covers the entire value chain from exploration and mapping to domestic refi ning and processing and from building a recycling ecosystem to boosting R&D capabilities. The mission also emphasizes workforce development, building deeper global partnerships and an enabling policy framework. With all these providing a roadmap in order to position India to reduce its supply risks and emerge as a competitive player in the global clean energy economy.
A pivotal role in this strategy is being played by Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), the public sector joint venture of NALCO, Hindustan Copper, and MECL under the Ministry of Mines.
KABIL was formed in 2019 with an ambition to secure overseas critical minerals. By now it has already acquired fi ve lithium brine blocks in Argentina’s Catamarca province covering over 15,000 hectares, with exclusive rights for exploration and potential commercial production.
However, India’s global outreach is widening further as earlier this year,geologists have been deployed to Zambia to explore copper and cobalt across nearly 9,000 sq km, while negotiations are also advancing with Chile and other Latin American nations for mineral blocks. Together, these initiatives signal India’s resolve to diversify its supply chains and secure the resources essential for its clean energy transition.
In a parallel policy move for such initiatives and to encourage substantial investments, the Centre has removed import duties on 23 critical minerals, a step aimed at lowering costs, attracting private investment, and diversifying supply chains.
Analysts backed up these initiatives and reports by highlighting that these measures not only reduce India’s dependence on traditional suppliers but also position the country as a future leader in the global energy transition.
