Securing critical minerals: India's new mission for future growth

There is, of course, an important national-security element to this effort. Globally, the extraction and processing of critical minerals are dominated by China

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the National Critical Mineral Mission, which would involve an expenditure of Rs 16,300 crore by the government as well as investment of Rs 18,000 crore from public-sector units and other sources. This is a major new direction in Indian policy, and is a response to growing concerns about the resilience and security of the supply chains vital to 21st century growth. Multiple minerals such as lithium and molybdenum are vital for the production of intermediate goods from batteries to semiconductors. It has become increasingly clear in recent years that growth in multiple sectors —