From Phones To Semiconductors: Why India Needs More Critical Minerals

At the BT Infrastructure Summit, Union Minister of Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy highlighted India’s rapid transformation in manufacturing, electronics and mining. He said India is now the world’s second-largest mobile phone producer, with 99% domestic production, while electronics exports have grown more than eleven times since 2014. Reddy stressed that India’s future infrastructure and manufacturing growth will depend on a secure supply of critical minerals. He called for faster exploration, quicker mine operationalisation, greater private investment and advanced technologies. Highlighting mining reforms, he said transparent auction-based allocation and simplified approvals are helping create a predictable investment climate and strengthen India’s mineral value chains.