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BUSINESS & TRADE MAY 08, 2026 | The Indian Eye 42

Closing the Loop: India Bets Big on

Recycling to Secure Critical Minerals

Policy push, private investment and urban mining form the backbone of

India’s evolving critical minerals strategy.

OUR BUREAU ment. Experts stressed that while In-
dia has made progress in developing
New Delhi / Mumbai
recycling technologies, translating
ndia is accelerating efforts to these innovations into large-scale
secure its critical minerals sup- operations will require sustained
Iply chain through a strategy that collaboration between government,
blends policy incentives, private sec- industry and academia.
tor participation and a strong push The government’s approach re-
toward recycling, as the country seeks flects a recognition that securing crit-
to reduce import dependence and ical minerals is not just about access-
support its clean energy ambitions. ing resources abroad but also about
At the centre of this approach is maximising domestic potential. By
the Incentive Scheme for Promotion incentivising recycling and promot-
of Critical Mineral Recycling, rolled ing urban mining, India is attempting
out under the National Critical Min- to create a parallel supply stream
eral Mission with an outlay of Rs that is both sustainable and econom-
1,500 crore. The Ministry of Mines ically efficient.
has now completed the eligibility as- This strategy comes at a time
sessment phase, approving 58 com- Supply chains remain concentrated in a few countries, exposing import-dependent economies when global competition for criti-
panies to participate—marking a cal minerals—essential for batteries,
significant step in building domestic to risks ranging from price volatility to geopolitical disruptions (File Photo) semiconductors and clean energy
capacity for recovering key minerals technologies—is intensifying. Sup-
from waste streams. recovery from industrial residues, discussions was the growing impor- ply chains remain concentrated in a
The scheme, notified on October reflecting the broad-based nature of tance of secondary resources—such few countries, exposing import-de-
2, 2025, is designed to create a cir- India’s strategy. The next phase will as mine waste, tailings, slags and pendent economies to risks ranging
cular economy for critical minerals focus on project execution, where industrial residues—as viable and from price volatility to geopolitical
by extracting value from lithium-ion these entities will develop capacity cost-effective sources of critical min- disruptions.
batteries, e-waste and industrial and begin production, becoming el- erals. These unconventional inputs However, challenges remain.
scrap. Officials say this will not only igible for financial support under the are increasingly being seen as essen- Building efficient collection systems
reduce reliance on imports but also scheme. tial to bridging supply gaps without for e-waste, ensuring consistent
strengthen supply chains for sectors This recycling-led push is part of relying solely on primary mining. feedstock supply and developing
such as electric mobility, renewable a wider policy framework aimed at Urban mining, particularly cost-effective technologies will be
energy and advanced manufacturing. building a resilient and self-reliant through the recycling of e-waste and critical to the success of the initiative.
According to the ministry, the critical minerals ecosystem. At a re- end-of-life batteries, is also gaining Regulatory coordination and timely
response from industry has been cent high-level workshop titled “De- prominence. Supported by govern- disbursal of incentives will also play
robust. Applications submitted be- veloping the Critical Minerals Value ment incentives, this approach en- a key role in maintaining investor
tween October 2025 and April 2026 Chain for a Sustainable Future,” pol- ables the recovery of valuable ma- confidence.
were evaluated by the Project Man- icymakers and industry leaders out- terials from discarded electronics Despite these hurdles, the mo-
agement Agency, Jawaharlal Nehru lined the contours of this strategy. and energy storage systems, turning mentum appears strong. The consen-
Aluminium Research Development Speaking at the event, Mines waste into a strategic resource. sus emerging from the workshop and
and Design Centre, in line with de- Secretary Piyush Goyal emphasised Industry participants and experts the response to the incentive scheme
tailed operational guidelines. the importance of private sector par- pointed to the need for scaling up indicate that India is moving toward
Following this process, the Exec- ticipation. He highlighted the gov- such initiatives through technology a more integrated and forward-look-
utive Committee cleared 58 entities ernment’s focus on reforms, ease of and policy support. Representatives ing critical minerals strategy.
in two phases—20 in March and 38 doing business and targeted incen- from leading companies and glob- As the next phase of project ex-
in late April. Together, these compa- tives to accelerate sectoral growth. al institutions, including the World ecution begins, the focus will shift to
nies have pledged a recycling capacity Officials underscored that criti- Bank, highlighted the importance of on-ground implementation. If suc-
of about 850 kilo tonnes per annum cal minerals are central to India’s en- commercial viability, technological cessful, the initiative could position
(KTPA) and an investment of rough- ergy transition, economic growth and readiness and regulatory clarity in India as a key player in the global
ly Rs 5,000 crore, signalling strong technological advancement, calling driving investments. circular economy for critical miner-
industry confidence in the sector. for coordinated efforts across explo- The discussions also focused on als—turning waste into wealth while
The selected firms span battery ration, processing and recycling. bridging the gap between laboratory securing the building blocks of its en-
recycling, e-waste processing and A key theme emerging from the research and industrial-scale deploy- ergy and industrial future.

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