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    BUSINESS & TRADE                                                         JUNE 05, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 38

                                                          CRITICAL MINERALS

             India Pushes to Secure the Building

                        Blocks of the Future Economy

                From overseas mining deals to domestic processing plants, India is accelerating its critical
                     minerals strategy to power manufacturing, clean energy and technological growth.

            OUR BUREAU                                                                                                These agreements suggest that
                                                                                                                  critical minerals are emerging as a
            New Delhi / Ottawa
                                                                                                                  key pillar of international econom-
                ndia’s growing focus on crit-                                                                     ic diplomacy. Nations are increas-
                ical  minerals  reflects  a  larger                                                               ingly forming partnerships not only
            Ieconomic transition underway                                                                         around trade and investment, but
            — one that links national resource                                                                    around securing future technology
            security directly to the future of                                                                    supply chains.
            manufacturing, clean energy, tech-                                                                        India’s expanding engagement
            nology and global competitiveness.                                                                    with Canada further reinforces this
            As the world races to secure access                                                                   trend. During Union Commerce and
            to  minerals  essential  for  batteries,                                                              Industry Minister Piyush Goyal’s vis-
            semiconductors,  renewable  energy                                                                    it to  Toronto, Canada’s Minister of
            systems and advanced electronics,                                                                     International Trade Maninder Sidhu
            India is attempting to position itself                                                                announced a Team  Canada Trade
            not merely as a consumer market,    Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma with Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan   Mission to India later this year. Ac-
            but as a strategic player in the global                                                               cording to the Ministry of Commerce
            supply chain.                              Reddy during a review meeting in Jaipur (@BhajanlalBjp X/ANI Photo)  and Industry, the mission will explore
                The  government’s  latest  an-                                                                    partnerships in sectors including ar-
            nouncements suggest that this ef-  approach”  under  the  National  Crit-  ploration highlights a crucial eco-  tificial intelligence, critical minerals,
            fort is moving from policy intent to   ical Mineral Mission, involving co-  nomic concern: future industrial   nuclear energy, semiconductors, re-
            implementation. Union Minister for   ordinated efforts by the Ministry of   growth could be constrained if In-  newable energy and advanced man-
            Coal  and  Mines  G  Kishan  Reddy   Mines, Ministry of Commerce and   dia remains dependent on imported   ufacturing.
            said India is “on the cusp of achiev-  Ministry of Industries. Such coor-  minerals controlled by a small num-  The  choice  of  sectors  is  signifi-
            ing significant milestones in the crit-  dination  reflects  the  understanding   ber of global suppliers. In sectors like   cant because they represent indus-
            ical minerals sector within the next   that mineral security is now tied to   electric vehicles, semiconductors and   tries expected to shape the global
            12 months,” according  to ANI. His   trade policy, industrial policy and   battery manufacturing, supply chain   economy over the coming decades.
            remarks underline how the country   geopolitical strategy.          disruptions can quickly become eco-  Critical minerals sit at the centre of
            now views critical minerals not as a   One  of  the  most  significant  de-  nomic vulnerabilities.   nearly all of them.
            narrow mining issue, but as a central   velopments has been the auction of   India’s strategy therefore ex-  Goyal highlighted the “growing
            pillar of long-term economic strategy.  critical mineral blocks. Reddy stated   tends beyond its borders. According   complementarities between India
                The importance of these min-  that  “for  the  first  time  since  Inde-  to Reddy, the government has se-  and Canada” and stressed the need
            erals lies in their role in emerging   pendence, a large number of critical   cured critical mineral blocks in coun-  for a “more robust and predictable
            industries. Rare earth elements and   mineral blocks were put up for auc-  tries such as Argentina to strengthen   business ecosystem driven by stron-
            strategic minerals are essential for   tion this year, and the process has   long-term resource security. Over-  ger government-industry collabora-
            sectors such as electronics, batter-  been completed successfully.” The   seas  asset  acquisition  reflects  an   tion.” His remarks suggest that India
            ies, renewable energy and advanced   statement signals a major policy shift   increasingly common global trend,  sees mineral partnerships as part of a
            manufacturing. As countries shift   toward  unlocking  domestic  mineral   where  countries  seek  direct  access   larger strategy to attract investment,
            towards electric mobility, clean tech-  resources at scale.         to mineral reserves abroad to avoid   build technological capability and di-
            nology and artificial intelligence-driv-  The government is also intensi-  future supply bottlenecks.  versify supply chains.
            en industries, access to these miner-  fying exploration activities across the   The geopolitical dimension is   At its core, India’s critical min-
            als increasingly determines industrial   country. Rajasthan has reportedly   equally important. India has signed   erals strategy is about preparing for
            competitiveness.                  identified  major  reserves  of  critical   Memorandums of Understanding   a future economy shaped by tech-
                India’s  approach appears  to be   minerals, while exploration efforts   with several countries, including the   nology, energy transition and supply
            built around two parallel goals: re-  are expanding in eastern India and   United States, to strengthen cooper-  chain competition. The country’s
            ducing strategic dependence on for-  other regions. Agencies such as the   ation in the critical minerals sector.  policymakers increasingly recognise
            eign supply chains and creating do-  Geological Survey of India (GSI),  Reddy  said  discussions during  the   that economic power in the coming
            mestic industrial capacity for future   along with private firms and startups,  Prime Minister’s visit to the US and   decades may depend as much on ac-
            growth sectors.                   are being encouraged to accelerate   subsequent bilateral engagements fo-  cess to lithium, cobalt and rare earth
                Reddy said the government is   the search for mineral reserves.  cused on deepening collaboration in   elements as previous eras depended
            pursuing a “whole-of-government       This emphasis on domestic ex-  securing strategic mineral resources.  on oil and coal.

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