India eyes overseas mining blocks, boosts processing and recycling capacity: Mines minister

India plans to build strategic stockpiles of critical minerals, enhance its trailing domestic processing capacity and also aims to formalising recycling of e-waste to reduce dependence on imports of minerals required for growing demand from the electronics, clean energy and advanced manufacturing sectors, Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy said on Thursday.

Speaking at an industry conference in New Delhi, Reddy said, ''The government has been working on developing complete critical mineral value chains, creating mineral reserves and acquiring overseas assets as demand for lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and rare earth elements rises.''

India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with planned investments of up to ₹34,000 crore by 2030.

Union Minister Reddy added, ''571 exploration projects have been undertaken in the last two years against a target of 1,200 projects under the mission. The Geological Survey of India has taken up 300 critical mineral projects this year.''

India remains reliant on imports for several critical minerals, particularly lithium and cobalt, despite efforts to strengthen domestic supply chains.

Processing of critical minerals has been a challenge for India's Mining industry for which the government is developing four critical mineral processing parks in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, Reddy said. The facilities are intended to support refining and processing activities.

The move comes as demand for critical minerals rises alongside growth in manufacturing, electronics and renewable energy sectors. According to the minister, India's electronics industry has expanded seven-fold over the last 12 years to more than ₹13 lakh crore, while installed clean energy capacity has crossed 300 GW.

RECYCLE E-WASTE, REUSE CRITICAL MINERALS

The government is also seeking to increase supplies through recycling. India generates about 1.75 million tonnes of e-waste annually, but between 90% and 95% is handled by the informal sector, according to the minister. The government has introduced a ₹1,500-crore incentive programme for critical mineral recycling and urban mining.

Reddy said 125 entities had registered under the scheme, and 58 projects had received approvals. The approved projects are expected to recover about 96 kilo tonnes of critical minerals annually.

He said recycling could provide an alternative source of minerals faster than new mining projects, which typically take seven to ten years to begin production.

India is also expanding its overseas resource acquisition efforts. The country has acquired five lithium blocks in Argentina and is holding discussions with other nations, Reddy said. It has also entered partnerships with countries including Japan, Peru, and the United Kingdom in areas linked to critical minerals and technology.

The minister said the government was offering support to private companies through the National Mineral Development Trust and continuing regulatory reforms in the mining sector. Parliament recently passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2026.

Reddy called for greater private-sector participation across exploration, processing, recycling and mining technology as India seeks to secure supplies of minerals considered essential for industrial growth and the energy transition.