India begins critical minerals' journey to strengthen supply chain resilience

New Delhi, Sep 6 (IANS) The Union Cabinet has approved a Rs 1,500 crore incentive scheme under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) to boost India’s recycling capacity for critical minerals from secondary sources such as e-waste, lithium-ion battery scrap, and end-of-life vehicle parts.

By fostering both new and existing recyclers, the initiative aims to build 270 kilo tonnes annual recycling capacity, produce 40 kilo tonnes of critical minerals, attract around Rs 8,000 crore in investments, and generate nearly 70,000 jobs — a strategic step to strengthen supply chain resilience and reduce import dependency, according to the government.

Critical minerals are fast becoming the oil of the 21st century, scarce, strategic, and fiercely contested. They are the building blocks of a modern economy.

India has set major climate milestones like cutting the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by 2030 (from 2005 levels), sourcing half of its power capacity from non-fossil fuels by the same year, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.

Central to meeting these targets is the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) to secure long-term supplies of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths. Beyond ensuring clean energy and electric mobility, the mission is designed to attract investments, foster innovation, and place India at the centre of global supply chains for the industries of tomorrow, according to the government.

As the world pivots to clean energy and advanced technologies, control over critical minerals has become the new frontier of geopolitics.

In January 2025, India responded with the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), launched for a period of seven years from 2024-25 to 2030-31, with a proposed expenditure of Rs 16,300 crore and an expected investment of Rs 18,000 crore by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and other stakeholders.

It is not merely a mining programme, but a strategic blueprint to secure energy security, drive industrial growth, and cement technological independence. From the lithium that powers electric vehicles to the rare earths vital for defence systems, the National Critical Minerals Mission casts its net wide.

A central target of the National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) is to catalyse innovation by supporting and monitoring the filing of 1,000 patents across the critical minerals value chain by FY 2030–31.

The aim is clear: accelerate the development and commercialisation of homegrown technologies vital for India’s energy transition and strategic industries. That momentum is already visible. In a parallel move, the guidelines for setting up a dedicated Centre of Excellence (CoE) under the Mission were cleared on April 6, 2025, marking a key step in advancing India’s critical minerals strategy.

—IANS

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