Lok Sabha Question No. 745 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: India’s Critical Mineral Supply Chains to Reduce Import
Ministry: MINES
Asked by: Shri Vijayakumar Alias Vijay Vasanth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 745

ANSWERED ON 04.02.2026

## INDIA'S CRITICAL MINERAL SUPPLY CHAINS TO REDUCE IMPORT

## 745. SHRI VIJAYAKUMAR ALIAS VIJAY VASANTH:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government categorically assures that India's critical mineral supply chains will be resilient, diversified and capable of supporting the country's electronics, clean energy and manufacturing ambitions without undue foreign dependency and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; (b)  whether  any  safeguards  exist  to  prevent  diversion,  manipulation  and  hoarding by domestic or foreign companies taking into account the strategic importance of rare earth elements for clean energy and defence technology and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; (c)  whether  the  Government  plans  to  integrate  domestic  mining,  refining  and manufacturing to reduce dependence on imports and if so, the details thereof along with the timelines and targets set for achieving self-reliance and if not, the reasons therefor; and (d) whether the Government has undertaken any risk analysis to evaluate the impact of global price volatility or geopolitical tensions on critical mineral availability and if so, the details thereof along with contingency measures in place and if not, the reasons

- therefor?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a)  to  (d):  The  Union  Cabinet  has  approved  the  setting  up  of  the  National  Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) on 29.01.2025 with the objectives of securing India's critical mineral supply chain and strengthening the critical mineral value chains. The NCMM envisions securing a long-term sustainable supply of critical minerals and strengthen India's critical mineral value chains encompassing all stages from mineral exploration and mining to beneficiation, processing,  and  recovery  from end-of-life  products,  in coordination with States and industry, with a view to reducing import dependence for strategic sectors such as electronics, clean energy and manufacturing.

Further,  NCMM  provides  an  enabling  framework  for  strengthening  supply  chain resilience, including a joint initiative between central PSUs and with private companies to guard against supply disruptions by foreign companies and aid mineral supply for domestic utilisation.

Moreover, to meet current and future requirements of critical minerals, the Government has adopted a comprehensive strategy and taken several initiatives, which inter-alia include the following:

- i. Geological Survey of India (GSI) has intensified exploration of critical minerals. GSI carried out 195 critical mineral exploration projects in 2024-25, and took up 230 projects  in  2025-26  across  the  country.  In  addition,  the  National  Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT) sanctioned 62 projects for critical mineral exploration during 2024-25 and 60 projects during 2025-26  to Notified Private Exploration Agencies (NPEAs)/Notified Exploration Agencies (NEAs).
- ii. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act), 1957 has been amended in 2025 whereby the scope of NMEDT has been expanded to support critical mineral exploration and mining overseas.
- iii. Since  the  amendment  to  the  MMDR  Act  in  2023,  Central  Government  has successfully auctioned 46 blocks of Critical and Strategic Mineral. In addition, 7 blocks have been auctioned under the Exploration Licence regime, out of which 3 are critical mineral blocks.
- iv. The Union Cabinet has approved a ₹1,500 crore Incentive Scheme to promote critical mineral recycling. The Scheme Guidelines were issued and the Scheme was launched on 02.10.2025.
- v. Guidelines  for  funding  pilot  projects  for  the  recovery  of  critical  minerals  from overburden/ tailings/ fly ash/ red mud, etc were issued on 14.11.2025.
- vi. Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) has signed an Exploration and Development Agreement with CAMYEN, a state-owned enterprise of Catamarca province of Argentina, for exploration and mining of five Lithium Brine Blocks in Argentina covering an area of 15703 Ha.

Further,  following  safeguards  to  prevent  diversion,  manipulation  &  hoarding  of monazite, the principal ore of REEs in India, are in place:

i)  Ministry  of  Mines  vide  notification  No.  GSR  No.  134(E)  dated  20.02.2019 amended  the  threshold  value  of  Monazite  for  BSM  occurring  in  teri  or  placer deposits  as  "0.00%  in  Total  Heavy  Minerals  (THM)  under  Atomic  Minerals Concession Rules 2016" thus ensuring complete government control over mining of  prescribed  substance  Monazite  occurring  within  the  Beach  Sand  Minerals (BSM).

ii) Further, Ministry of Commerce and Industry notified export policy on BSM vide Directorate General of Foreign Trade notification No.26/2015-2020 dated

21.08.2018 under which exports of BSM have been brought under State Trading Enterprise.

The NCMM outlines the following outputs/targets:

| Key heads                                                      |   Total (FY 2024-25 to 2030- 31) |
|----------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| Domestic Critical Mineral Exploration Projects                 |                             1200 |
| Foreign Critical Mineral Mines                                 |                               50 |
| Incentive scheme for recycling - total materials recycled (kt) |                              400 |
| Patents in critical mineral value chain                        |                             1000 |
| Skill development                                              |                            10000 |
| Mineral Processing Parks                                       |                                4 |
| Centre of Excellence                                           |                                3 |
| Mineral Stockpile (cumulative)                                 |                                5 |

As envisaged in the NCMM, the framework includes provisions for periodic refinement of the criticality assessment based on supply risk and economic importance, updating the list of critical minerals for India, and assessment of associated risks in consultation with stakeholders. The Mission also provides for demand assessments aligned with industrial and technological requirements, as well as risk mitigation.

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