India is seeking opportunities in Zambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Australia to gain access to important minerals such as lithium, cobalt and copper, said Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, the state secretary in the Indian Ministry of Mines, on Thursday.
According to Rao, the governments of these countries are working with a consortium of Indian state-owned companies (KABIL). “Through our efforts, we are working on the attempt to get access to significant mineral deposits for extraction and mining” he emphasized.
Critical minerals, including cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel and rare earth, are crucial for the production of technical goods such as smartphones and electric vehicles.
Recently, the government of Zambia agreed to give India an area of 9,000 square kilometers to search for cobalt and copper, Rao said. He noted that the exploration process is expected to take two to three years and the government hopes to secure the mining rights afterwards.
As the world moves towards cleaner and more sustainable energy, the industry’s demand for lithium is increasing, according to observers. In this context, New Delhi is trying to reduce its dependence on imports, particularly from China, which currently dominates the lithium processing sector.
In January, the government approved a budget of $1.9 billion for the National Mission for Critical Minerals, a framework for the country’s self-sufficiency in this area.
Minister of Mines Gangapuram Kishan Reddy pointed out that there is a high demand for lithium deposits and the Geological Survey of India has identified several lithium deposits in the northern states of Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh. He said that clarity on the viability of the deposits is expected by the end of April or May and the deposits will be auctioned subsequently.
India is also seeking critical minerals due to a lack of sufficient domestic availability. In December 2024, the Indian government cancelled a scheduled auction of 11 potential mining sites for critical minerals due to a lack of interest, reported the Press Trust of India.
The global lithium supply is currently dominated by Australia and the “Lithium Triangle” consisting of Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. Together, these countries hold more than 75 percent of the world’s lithium reserves and most of this mineral is shipped to China for further processing.