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Introduction

In the 21st century, the shift toward green energy and high-tech defense has elevated strategic minerals from commercial commodities to geopolitical imperatives. For India, securing minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earths is essential to achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat and transitioning to a net-zero economy by 2070, especially as global supply chains remain heavily concentrated.

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India’s Strategic Engagement with Mineral-Rich Countries

India has adopted a multi-pronged “Minerals Diplomacy” strategy, transitioning from a mere buyer to an active equity participant in global assets.

1. Latin American ‘Lithium Triangle’ (Argentina, Chile, Bolivia):

• Upstream Asset Acquisition: India is securing long-term exploration rights to insulate its EV industry from price volatility.
  Eg: In early 2024, KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) signed a ₹200 crore agreement with Argentina’s CAMYEN to explore and develop five lithium brine blocks in Catamarca.
• Strategic Due Diligence: Ongoing engagements with Chile and Brazil focus on lithium and copper to support India’s burgeoning semiconductor and electronics sectors.

2. Australia: The Reliable Strategic Partner:

• China-Free Supply Chains: India views Australia as a politically stable alternative to reduce its 100% import dependence on China for critical minerals.
  Eg: Under the India-Australia Critical Minerals Investment Partnership, five target projects (lithium and cobalt) were identified for joint investment.

3. The African Frontier (Namibia, Zambia, DRC):

• Global South Cooperation: India leverages its historical ties with Africa to secure copper and cobalt while offering technology transfer in return.
  Eg: Recent high-level visits in 2025 to Zambia and Namibia focused on securing copper assets and rare-earth elements through “value-added” partnerships.

4. Multilateral Strategic Alliances:

• Minerals Security Partnership (MSP): As a member of this US-led “critical minerals club,” India collaborates with 13 other nations to catalyze public and private investment in sustainable supply chains.
  Eg: India’s participation in the MSP ensures access to high-end processing technologies and de-risks large-scale overseas mining projects.
• The QUAD Framework: Within the Quad, India coordinates with Japan and Australia on “stockpiling and recycling” models to withstand deliberate market disruptions.

5. Russia and The ‘Programme 2030’:

• Strategic Hedge: Despite western sanctions, India engages Russia for nickel and cobalt to ensure a diversified “portfolio” of suppliers.
  Eg: The India-Russia Programme 2030, signed in December 2025, lists critical minerals as a priority area for high-tech economic cooperation.

Geopolitical Imperatives Driving Engagement

• Countering China’s Dominance: China controls nearly 85-90% of global processing capacity for rare earths; India’s diplomacy aims to bypass this “resource weaponization”.
• Defense and National Security: Advanced weapon systems and aerospace platforms depend on assured access to minerals like titanium and neodymium, making it a matter of strategic autonomy.
• Climate and Energy Security: Achieving the 500 GW renewable energy target by 2030 is physically impossible without a stable supply of battery minerals.

Conclusion

As it goes, “access without processing capacity cannot deliver resilience.” India’s future as a global manufacturing hub depends on evolving from an “extraction-based” approach to a “value-chain” partnership model. By integrating domestic reforms like the National Critical Minerals Mission (2024) with smart, multi-continent diplomacy, India can secure the raw materials necessary to lead the 21st-century technological order.

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