India has cemented its position as a key player in the global race for critical minerals by signing 15 agreements since January 2025. This strategic move places India among the leading nations striving to secure resources vital for clean energy technologies, trailing only the United States which has inked 41 deals. India now surpasses China, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and the European Union, each of which has signed 11 agreements.
The focus of these deals is on securing supplies of crucial minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, copper, and rare earth elements. These materials are essential for manufacturing components used in electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, semiconductors, and electricity infrastructure. The agreements are part of India’s broader strategy to reduce reliance on foreign suppliers and bolster domestic capabilities in exploration, processing, manufacturing, and recycling.
Central to this initiative is the National Critical Mineral Mission, approved in January 2025, with a government allocation of Rs 16,300 crore. The mission seeks to attract an additional Rs 18,000 crore in investment. Under its aegis, India plans to undertake 1,200 domestic exploration projects and secure overseas mining assets through both public and private enterprises. Notably, state-owned Khanij Bidesh India Ltd has partnered with Argentina’s CAMYEN to explore five lithium blocks spanning 15,703 hectares. There are also joint investment opportunities being explored with Australia for lithium and cobalt, and expanded cooperation with Germany and Norway.
The global push to secure critical minerals has seen numerous governments signing cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding aimed at securing these supplies and developing domestic processing industries. However, transparency concerns persist, as 39 percent of these agreements do not have publicly available texts.
As competition for critical minerals intensifies, experts suggest that India must focus on developing strong domestic manufacturing capabilities alongside securing raw materials. Building sustainable supply chains, creating employment opportunities, and strengthening industrial capacity will be crucial as global demand for clean energy technologies continues to rise.