Union Minister of Coal and Petroleum G. Kishan Reddy today highlighted the growing importance of critical minerals in shaping the global economy. He said critical minerals form the backbone of emerging sectors such as solar energy, lithium, and copper-based technologies. The Minister made these remarks at the second edition of Indian Critical Minerals Landscape: Foundation for a Sustainable Future in New Delhi.

 

Addressing the inaugural session, he emphasised that the future of the world increasingly depends on the availability and sustainable development of these vital resources. The Minister informed that 41 private agencies have been given mandates for the exploration of critical minerals, marking a significant step towards strengthening India’s resource security.

 

He further noted that coking coal was added to the list of critical minerals in January this year, underlining its strategic importance. Mr Reddy also announced that technology for manufacturing permanent magnets has been developed, and with its transfer to the private sector, production is now underway.

 

During the event, the Minister also launched a portal for members of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He also released a report on the Global Critical Mineral Vision and another report highlighting FICCI’s collective efforts in the sector.