Siliguri : Senior officials from India’s Ministry of Mines and top executives of leading public sector mining companies convened in Siliguri to review the progress and future roadmap of the National Critical Minerals Mission, a major government initiative aimed at strengthening India’s self-reliance in strategically important mineral resources.
The high-level meeting was attended by Shri Indra Dev Narayan, Chairman and Managing Director of Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL), along with the Chairmen and Managing Directors of Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) and National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO). Senior representatives from the Ministry of Mines and members of the Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel also participated in the discussions.
The meeting focused on accelerating India’s strategy for exploration, extraction, and processing of critical and strategic minerals that are increasingly essential for advanced manufacturing and national infrastructure development.
Focus on Strategic and Critical Minerals
During the review session, officials discussed measures to strengthen domestic supply chains for minerals considered crucial for sectors such as renewable energy, electric vehicles, battery manufacturing, defence production, semiconductors, and electronics.
Critical minerals including lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper, rare earth elements, and graphite have become central to global industrial competitiveness and energy transition strategies. India has been intensifying efforts to reduce dependence on imports and build domestic capabilities in mineral exploration and processing.
The participants reviewed ongoing exploration projects, inter-agency coordination mechanisms, and policy frameworks required to accelerate mineral resource development across the country.
Push for Resource Security and Industrial Growth
Officials emphasized that the National Critical Minerals Mission is a key component of India’s broader economic and strategic agenda focused on resource security, industrial resilience, and technological self-sufficiency.
The discussions highlighted the growing role of public sector enterprises in identifying mineral reserves, expanding exploration activities, and supporting downstream processing infrastructure required for emerging industries.
The meeting also examined ways to improve collaboration between government agencies, public sector companies, and research institutions to ensure faster implementation of exploration and mining projects while maintaining sustainable development standards.
Public Sector Collaboration Seen as Key
The gathering in Siliguri reflected increasing coordination between India’s mining PSUs and the central government in building a long-term framework for critical mineral development. Officials noted that strengthening domestic mineral capacity is essential for supporting India’s clean energy ambitions, manufacturing expansion, and future industrial competitiveness.
The Ministry of Mines has been actively promoting policies aimed at enhancing exploration efficiency, encouraging investment in mineral processing, and securing stable access to strategic raw materials required for next-generation technologies.
The review meeting is being viewed as part of the government’s continuing efforts to fast-track implementation of the National Critical Minerals Mission and position India as a more self-reliant and globally competitive player in the critical minerals sector.
