National Critical Mineral Mission key to India's clean tech resilience: G Kishan Reddy

Speaking at the annual plenary session of Indian Chamber of Commerce, he said the mission will be crucial for achieving Atmanirbharata (self-reliance) in EV batteries, solar panels, semiconductors, and defence applications.

"National critical mineral mission will ensure India's resilience in the technologies of tomorrow, a clean energy. It will ensure Atmnirbharata in EV batteries, solar panels, and semiconductors, and defence applications," he added.

India currently imports the majority of its critical minerals, often from a few dominant players, which raises concerns about geopolitical risks and supply chain bottlenecks.

The government's National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), launched in January 2025, aims to address this gap through exploration, processing, and recycling.

Earlier in the month, the Union Cabinet approved a Rs 1,500 crore Incentive Scheme to develop recycling capacity in the country for the separation and production of critical minerals from secondary sources.

This scheme is part of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which aims to build domestic capacity and supply chain resilience in critical minerals.

The Union Cabinet in January 2025 approved the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with an expenditure of Rs 16,300 crore and an expected investment of Rs 18,000 crore by Public Sector Undertakings.

Critical minerals are essential for clean energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines, EVs, and energy storage systems. To secure these resources, India launched the NCMM to ensure their long-term availability and processing.

Critical minerals are essential for a country's economic development and national security; their limited availability or concentration in a few geographical locations can lead to supply chain vulnerabilities.

Going further added that the key schemes like Digital India, Startup India, Gati Shakti, and PLI have significantly contributed towards self-reliance and economic strength.

He said that the coal and mining sector, once plagued by corruption, has been transformed through reforms, achieving a historic milestone of one billion tons of coal production.

The government continues to push for reforms, infrastructure development, and increased private sector participation to further India's growth and self-reliance, he added. (ANI)