CRITICAL MINERALS

NEWS: India has brought critical minerals to the centre of its industrial, energy and geopolitical strategy through initiatives like the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM).

National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)

• Launched in January 2025
• Budget outlay: ₹16,300 crore
• Objective: Strengthen exploration, mining, processing and supply chains

India now has:

• A list of 30 Critical Minerals
• Easier rules for junior miners (exploration companies)
• Rationalised royalty rates

Challenges in Achieving Critical Mineral Security

• Heavy reliance on imports
• Global concentration of supply
• China controls ~90% mineral processing capacity
• Exploration takes years/decades
• Slow backward integration in EV, battery and solar sectors
• Need for deep refining, AI exploration and high-end metallurgy

Roadmap for Technological Sovereignty

• Implement AI-first mineral exploration
• Use National Geoscience Data
• Incentivise refineries and midstream industries
• Boost deployment of: Electric Vehicles, Batteries, Solar & Wind technologies
• Effective implementation of National Critical Mineral Mission (₹16,300 crore)
• Promote technology transfer and joint ventures