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President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday stressed the importance of critical minerals, such as lithium, in advancing India's green transition and achieving sustainable development goals.

 

Speaking at the National Geoscience Awards function, President Murmu emphasised the role of critical minerals in the production of clean energy technologies, including wind turbines and electric vehicle batteries. She highlighted the potential of the Critical Minerals Mission to provide essential raw materials for this transition.

 

"India is committed to achieving net-zero emissions," Murmu said, adding that the country must become self-reliant in mineral production and exploration to reach its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.

 

Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who also addressed the event, outlined the government's focus on making India self-sufficient in critical and strategic minerals. He announced that 14 critical mineral blocks have been put up for sale, with an emphasis on offshore exploration.

 

"The government is committed to sustainable development and will work with dedication to make India a global leader in the mining sector," Reddy said.

 

Reddy also mentioned that the government plans to offer financial incentives for the development of critical minerals, including lithium. The strategy includes securing loans from multilateral financial institutions and fostering global research and development collaboration across the critical minerals value chain.

 

The government will provide targeted subsidies to encourage Indian public and private sector companies to acquire assets abroad and develop evacuation infrastructure, with the Ministry of Mines collaborating closely with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

 

The Union Budget for 2024-25 proposed the launch of the Critical Minerals Mission, aimed at bolstering domestic production, recycling, and overseas acquisition of critical mineral assets. The mission seeks to secure India's critical mineral supply chain and strengthen value chains by enhancing technological, regulatory, and financial ecosystems to foster innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness in the mineral sector.