New Delhi: India has significantly expanded its international efforts to secure critical mineral supplies and strengthen semiconductor supply chains, entering into partnerships with 24 countries while holding negotiations with 11 others over the past two years.
The initiative is part of the Centre’s long-term strategy to reduce dependence on limited global suppliers and ensure a stable supply of minerals essential for clean energy, electric vehicles (EVs), advanced manufacturing, defence and semiconductor production.
According to the Ministry of Mines, India has built a broad network of partnerships spanning North America, Europe, Africa, West Asia, Central Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia.
The collaborations go beyond sourcing raw materials and include cooperation in mineral exploration, mining, processing, technology transfer, investment and the development of resilient supply chains.
India has already established cooperation frameworks with countries including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Japan, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Namibia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Vietnam, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Russia.
These partnerships focus on strategic resources such as lithium, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements, while also promoting cooperation in semiconductor technologies, energy security and investment.
In addition, India is negotiating with countries including Chile, Peru, Zambia, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Myanmar and Indonesia to expand cooperation in lithium, copper, rare earths and other critical mineral resources.
A major focus of the initiative is strengthening India’s semiconductor ecosystem. Partnerships with technology leaders such as Japan, the Netherlands, Germany and the United States are expected to boost domestic chip manufacturing and improve India’s integration into global semiconductor supply chains.
Critical minerals, including lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and rare earth elements, are vital for electric vehicle batteries, renewable energy storage systems, wind turbines, solar infrastructure, defence equipment, aerospace technologies and advanced electronics. Ensuring reliable access to these resources has become a strategic priority as countries work to accelerate the clean energy transition and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.
With inputs from IANS