National Critical Mineral Mission, Launch Date, Outlay, Objectives

The Government of India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in 2025 to establish a robust framework for self-reliance in the critical mineral sector. The mission envisages a total outlay of ₹34,300 crore over a period of seven years.

National Critical Mineral Mission Objectives

The mission focuses on boosting domestic production, encouraging private sector participation, strengthening international partnerships, and streamlining regulations to ensure a steady supply of minerals essential for clean energy technologies. Two main Objectives are: 

• To secure India’s critical mineral supply chain by ensuring mineral availability from domestic and foreign sources.
• Strengthening the value chains by enhancing technological, regulatory, and financial ecosystems to foster innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness in mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recycling.

National Critical Mineral Mission Components

The NCMM will encompass all stages of the value chain, including mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recovery from end-of-life products.

• Increasing Domestic Minerals Production: The mission will intensify the exploration of critical minerals within the country and in its offshore areas. It also proposes development of a stockpile of critical minerals within the country.
• Acquisition of Critical Mineral Assets Abroad: The mission aims to encourage Indian public sector enterprises and private sector companies to acquire critical mineral assets abroad and enhance trade with resource-rich countries. 
• Recycling Critical Minerals: The mission includes provisions for setting up of mineral processing parks and promotion of recycling of critical minerals from e-waste, battery scrap, and industrial waste.
• Trade and Markets for Critical Minerals: Enhance trade with resource-rich countries and diversify supply chains to reduce import dependence.
• Scientific Research & Technological Advancement: The mission will promote research in critical mineral technologies and proposes setting up a Centre of Excellence on Critical Minerals.
• Human Resource Development: Skill development programmes, specialised training, and academic initiatives to build a skilled workforce.
• Developing Effective Funding, Financing and Fiscal Incentives: The  mission will offer financial incentives for critical mineral exploration.

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Critical Minerals Meaning 

Critical minerals are those minerals that are essential for a country’s economic development, technological advancement, and strategic sectors, but face a high risk of supply disruption due to import dependence, limited domestic availability, or geopolitical and market constraints.

In 2023, the Ministry of Mines, released a list of 30 critical minerals for India. These minerals are Antimony, Beryllium, Bismuth, Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, Molybdenum, Niobium, Nickel, PGE, Phosphorous, Potash, REE, Rhenium, Silicon, Strontium, Tantalum, Tellurium, Tin, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zirconium, Selenium and Cadmium.

Usage of Critical Minerals

Critical minerals are essential components of various clean energy technologies and industries. Their importance can be highlighted across different sectors:

1. Solar energy

• Critical minerals such as silicon, tellurium, indium, and gallium are vital for the production of photovoltaic (PV) cells used in solar panels.
• India’s current solar capacity of 64 GW is heavily dependent on these minerals.

2. Wind energy

• Rare earth elements like dysprosium and neodymium are used in permanent magnets for wind turbines.
• India aims to increase its wind energy capacity from 42 GW to 140 GW by 2030, necessitating a stable supply of these minerals.

3. Electric vehicles (EVs)

• Lithium, nickel, and cobalt are key materials used in lithium-ion batteries.
• Under the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan (NEMMP), India plans to deploy 6–7 million EVs by 2024, leading to increased demand for these critical minerals.

4. Energy storage

• Lithium-ion batteries used in advanced energy storage systems depend on lithium, cobalt, and nickel.

Critical minerals are essential for a country’s economic development and national security, and their lack of availability or concentration in a few geographical locations can lead to supply chain vulnerabilities.

Conclusion 

India aims to reduce the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030 (from 2005 levels), achieve 50%of its electric power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030, and reach net-zero emissions by 2070. To achieve these climate goals, the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) plays a vital role by building a resilient and self-reliant ecosystem for critical minerals.