Workshop on Critical Minerals Value Chain to Strengthen India's Self-Reliance in Key Resources

📌 Summary:

• Ministry of Mines held a national workshop on developing India's Critical Minerals Value Chain
• India has identified 30 critical minerals essential for clean energy, defence, and high-tech manufacturing: lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, rare earth elements (REEs), titanium, and others
• India currently imports the vast majority of critical minerals — reducing this import dependence is a national security and economic sovereignty priority
• Workshop focused on three stages: (1) domestic exploration and mining; (2) beneficiation and processing capacity; (3) downstream manufacturing using critical minerals
• Critical minerals are the backbone of EVs, solar panels, wind turbines, mobile phones, and defence electronics — all strategic sectors for India
• India's Critical Minerals Mission (2024) aims to secure domestic and global supply chains
• Key institutional instruments: Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) for overseas mineral acquisition; Geological Survey of India (GSI) for domestic exploration
• India is partnering with Australia, Canada, and African nations through bilateral and multilateral agreements for long-term supply security
• UPSC angle: Links to energy transition, geopolitics of critical minerals, PLI schemes for manufacturing, and Aatmanirbhar Bharat