Minerals – Parliamentary Panel to Review India’s Overseas Critical Resource Strategy
Minerals – India’s efforts to strengthen access to critical minerals from global markets will come under discussion on Friday as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel convenes a meeting in New Delhi. The session will take place at the Parliament Library Building and will focus on the country’s long-term strategy for securing essential mineral resources required for manufacturing, technology, and clean energy sectors.
Committee to Examine KABIL’s Global Mineral Plans
The meeting, chaired by Hamirpur Member of Parliament and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Anurag Thakur, will include presentations from officials of the Ministry of Mines and NITI Aayog. Representatives are expected to provide detailed inputs on the role of Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) and its contribution to India’s pursuit of critical minerals across international markets.
KABIL was established as a joint venture involving three public sector enterprises—National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL), and Mineral Exploration & Consultancy Limited (MECL). The shareholding structure stands at 40:30:30 respectively, operating under the supervision of the Ministry of Mines.
Strategic Focus on Overseas Resources
The organization has been tasked with identifying and securing mineral assets outside India to support domestic demand for resources that are either unavailable or present in limited quantities within the country. Its broader objective is to ensure a stable supply of strategic minerals while supporting industrial development and manufacturing initiatives.
At present, KABIL is concentrating on sourcing minerals such as lithium and cobalt, both of which are considered crucial for sectors including electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and advanced technologies. The company is exploring multiple avenues, including direct acquisition of mining assets and long-term investments in mineral projects abroad. These efforts are being pursued through government-to-government, government-to-business, and business-to-business partnerships.
According to information available from the Ministry of Mines, engagement with resource-rich nations in Latin America and Australia remains an important part of the strategy aimed at strengthening India’s mineral security.
Mining Sector Reforms Under Review
Separately, the Ministry of Mines recently reviewed progress in mineral block auctions and operational developments across the country. The review meeting, chaired by Mines Secretary Piyush Goyal, brought together senior ministry officials and representatives from major mineral-bearing states.
Discussions focused on speeding up reforms, increasing domestic mineral production, and ensuring that auctioned mining blocks become operational within targeted timelines. The ministry emphasized the importance of efficient implementation to support economic growth and reduce dependence on imports.
Significant Rise in Mineral Block Auctions
Officials noted that the pace of mineral block auctions has accelerated considerably in recent years. Between the financial years 2015-16 and 2020-21, a total of 108 mineral blocks were successfully auctioned. However, from 2021-22 to 2024-25, the number rose sharply to 364 auctioned blocks, averaging around 90 auctions annually.
The latest figures indicate even stronger momentum. During the 2025-26 financial year, authorities successfully auctioned 212 mineral blocks, representing the highest annual total recorded since the auction-based system was introduced. The auctions included 22 critical and strategic mineral blocks, highlighting the government’s focus on securing resources that are increasingly important for industrial expansion and the transition toward cleaner energy technologies.
Operationalisation of Mining Blocks Gains Momentum
The review also assessed the status of mining blocks that have already been auctioned. Officials reported that 36 blocks became operational during the current financial year, including 28 greenfield projects and eight brownfield projects.
This marks a notable development when compared with the cumulative performance from 2015-16 to 2024-25, during which 58 blocks were operationalised. Those figures included 20 greenfield projects and 38 brownfield projects. The ministry believes the growing pace of operationalisation will help strengthen mineral production capacity and support the country’s long-term resource requirements.