PM Modi says India securing critical minerals, deepening global supply partnerships
In the Independence Day address on 15 August 2026, the government highlighted efforts to secure critical mineral supplies and deepen international sourcing partnerships as part of India's resource security strategy
The National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) was cited as the domestic backbone of this push, with significant government funding committed to exploration, processing, and recycling
Four dedicated critical mineral processing parks are being established across different states to boost domestic value addition
The strategy combines domestic capacity building with expanded international partnerships to reduce dependence on concentrated global supply sources
National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), 2025
The NCMM was approved by the Union Cabinet on 29 January 2025 to build a resilient value chain for critical minerals — spanning exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products (recycling). It is administered by the Ministry of Mines and follows up on the Critical Mineral Mission announced in the Union Budget 2024-25.
Key Details
- Outlay: Rs 16,300 crore in central budgetary support, with an expected Rs 18,000 crore investment from PSUs — taking the total programme size to Rs 34,300 crore over seven years
- Objectives include intensified domestic and offshore exploration, fast-track regulatory clearances for critical mineral mining projects, strategic stockpiling, recycling incentives, and overseas asset acquisition
- Complements the exploration mandate of the Geological Survey of India and the auction framework created for critical minerals in 2023
The processing parks and mission funding referenced in the address are components of the NCMM's implementation.
List of Critical and Strategic Minerals — MMDR Amendment Act, 2023
The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 (in force from 17 August 2023) created Part D of the First Schedule, listing critical and strategic minerals that only the central government can auction for mining concessions. It also removed six minerals from the list of atomic minerals, opening them to private and state-level mining.
Key Details
- 30 minerals were identified as critical for India in a 2023 Ministry of Mines report; 24 of these were notified as "critical and strategic minerals" in Part D, Schedule I of the MMDR Act
- Six minerals — lithium-bearing minerals, titanium-bearing minerals and ores, beryl and other beryllium-bearing minerals, niobium and tantalum-bearing minerals, and zirconium-bearing minerals — were delisted from the atomic minerals category (Part B), permitting private exploration and mining
- Revenue from central auctions of these minerals accrues to the concerned state government, preserving federal fiscal balance
The processing parks target minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements that fall within this notified list, making the 2023 amendment the statutory basis for the current mission.
Strategic Overseas Partnerships — KABIL and the Quad Critical Minerals Initiative
India pursues overseas critical mineral acquisition and cooperation through Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), a joint venture of NALCO, Hindustan Copper Ltd, and Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Ltd formed in 2019, alongside plurilateral platforms such as the Quad and bilateral frameworks with countries including the US, France, Australia, and Japan.
Key Details
- KABIL was established in 2019 specifically to identify and acquire strategic mineral assets (lithium, cobalt, and others) abroad, including agreements for lithium exploration blocks in Argentina
- The Quad (India, US, Japan, Australia) has committed to strengthening resilient critical mineral supply chains since its 2022 Leaders' Summit
- India has expanded critical mineral partnerships and dialogues with dozens of countries over the past two years, covering exploration, processing, technology transfer, and investment — not just raw material sourcing
The reference to "deepening global supply partnerships" reflects this parallel international track that runs alongside domestic mission-building under the NCMM.
- NCMM approved by Union Cabinet: 29 January 2025; outlay Rs 16,300 crore (Centre) + Rs 18,000 crore (expected PSU investment) = Rs 34,300 crore over seven years
- Four critical mineral processing parks announced across different states, backed by dedicated allocation for shared infrastructure and logistics
- 24 minerals listed as "critical and strategic" under Part D, Schedule I of the MMDR Act (out of 30 minerals identified as critical for India)
- Six minerals delisted from the atomic minerals category by the MMDR Amendment Act, 2023: lithium, titanium, beryllium, niobium-tantalum, and zirconium bearing minerals
- MMDR Amendment Act, 2023 in force since 17 August 2023
- KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd), established 2019, for overseas critical mineral asset acquisition