Critical minerals have quietly become the raw material of India’s economic ambitions. From the solar mission to the electric vehicle (EV) and battery ecosystem to shipbuilding and defence, every flagship programme of India now runs, directly or indirectly, on a short list of minerals, including silicon, tellurium, indium, lithium, cobalt, and others. These minerals are central to the country’s energy transition, industrialisation, technological innovation, strategic autonomy, and national security. However, their asymmetric geographic distribution and associated export restrictions add to the urgency of securing supply chains.
India, though a latecomer, has stopped being a passive observer of this race. In 2025, it launched the National Critical Minerals Mission, an umbrella framework with a total outlay of Rs 34,300 crore over seven years, including Rs 7,000 crore for 1,200 anticipated domestic exploration projects. Yet, India’s critical minerals policy still rests on one institutional instrument—a list of 30 critical minerals released by the Ministry of Mines in 2023. This list of critical minerals (LCM) mentions scarce elements that are essential to domestic manufacturing. Designing and pursuing the LCM is a well-thought-out step; however, certain gaps in this list require attention.
