Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday conducted a review of India’s efforts to secure critical mineral assets overseas and strengthen domestic recycling measures as part of broader sustainable development and strategic objectives. The review was held during the quarterly sectoral meeting of the Ministry of Mines.
The discussions focused on the acquisition of critical mineral assets abroad, which is seen as vital to ensuring stable supply chains for minerals essential to modern industries. Such minerals are key inputs for sectors including electric mobility, renewable energy, electronics and defence. Assured access to these resources is considered important for supporting the country’s energy transition, reducing dependence on imports and boosting domestic manufacturing under the “Make in India” initiative.
The prime minister also evaluated the implementation of a ₹1,500-crore incentive scheme approved by the Union Cabinet to promote the recycling of critical minerals in India. This programme is designed to build capacity for extracting critical minerals from secondary sources, including battery waste and other metal scraps.
Under the scheme, recycling capacity is expected to grow significantly, with projections of developing around 270 kilotonnes of annual recycling capacity and producing roughly 40 kilotonnes of critical minerals per year. These efforts could attract close to ₹8,000 crore in investments and generate nearly 70,000 direct and indirect jobs, according to estimates.
The recycling initiative is part of the broader National Critical Mineral Mission, under which the government has approved a total outlay of ₹16,300 crore, with combined planned spending of ₹34,300 crore over seven years to build resilience across the critical mineral supply chain. Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are expected to play a pivotal role in supporting the expansion of clean energy technologies and future-facing industries.
The meeting also included discussions on the availability of rare earth elements and related market developments. Officials described the exchange as productive, underscoring the government’s continued focus on securing raw materials that underpin the country’s economic growth and sustainable development trajectory.
