FCC

India Aims to Auction Maximum Critical Mineral Blocks by 2031

2025-02-21

India is set to auction as many critical mineral blocks as possible by 2031, reinforcing its strategy to secure domestic supply chains for green energy and technology sectors, said Satish Chandra Dubey, Union Minister of State for Mines and Coal, at FICCI’s Critical Minerals Matrix conference.

The government has already auctioned 24 blocks and launched the ?34,300 crore National Critical Minerals Mission, aiming to reduce import dependency and enhance mineral security. Minister Dubey stressed public-private partnerships as crucial to achieving these goals.

Industry leaders, including Vedanta’s Dhiraj Nayyar and LOHUM’s Pratyush Sinha, highlighted the rising demand for critical minerals, particularly lithium, and urged streamlined policies for exploration. A FICCI-Deloitte report, unveiled at the event, recommends policy reforms, tech-driven extraction, and global collaborations to strengthen India’s critical minerals ecosystem.