New Delhi is looking to tap into vital resources to meet its domestic needs

India is searching for mining opportunities to access critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, and copper from Zambia, Congo, and Australia, Indian Mines Secretary V.L. Kantha Rao said on Thursday.

The official told reporters that governments in these countries are working with a consortium of Indian state enterprises (KABIL).

"Through our missions, we are working on trying to get critical mineral assets for exploration and mining," he said.

Critical minerals are crucial for the production of technologies such as smartphones and electric vehicles. They include cobalt, copper, lithium, nickel, and rare-earth metals.

The Zambian government recently agreed to give India an area of 9,000 square km to carry out exploration of cobalt and copper, Rao stated. He pointed out that the exploration process is expected to take two to three years, and that the government hopes to obtain the mining rights thereafter.

As the world increasingly shifts to cleaner and sustainable energy, lithium demand is on the rise, according to industry watchers. In this context, New Delhi is trying to reduce reliance on imports, especially from China, which currently dominates the lithium processing technology sector.

In January, the Indian government approved the $1.9 billion National Critical Mineral Mission, a framework for the country's self-reliance in the sector.

Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy noted that lithium blocks are in high demand, and the Geological Survey of India has identified several lithium blocks in the northern states of Jammu and Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh. He stated that clarity on the exploration of the blocks is expected to be achieved by the end of April or May, and subsequently, the blocks will be put up for auction.

India is on the hunt for critical minerals partly due to a lack of sufficient availability domestically. In December 2024, the Indian government called off an auction of 11 critical mineral mining sites due to a lack of interest, PTI news agency reported.

The global lithium supply is currently dominated by Australia and the "Lithium Triangle," which comprises Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia. Together, these countries hold more than 75% of the world's lithium reserves, with the majority of this supply being shipped to China for processing.