Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets Vladimir Putin on critical minerals
Prime Minister Modi is set to meet Russian President Putin in New Delhi this Friday, just before the BRICS summit.
Their main focus? Working together on critical minerals like lithium, nickel, molybdenum, and cesium, key ingredients for electric vehicles, clean energy tech, and defense gear.
Mines Secretary Keshav Chandra shared that India hopes this partnership will help fill gaps since these resources aren't found much at home.
India approves ₹16,300cr critical minerals mission
Right now, India relies entirely on imports for essentials like cobalt and rare earths, which makes supply chains vulnerable.
To tackle this, the government approved a ₹16,300 crore National Critical Mineral Mission in January 2025 to strengthen domestic capabilities across the critical-mineral value chain and reduce supply risks.
India has already teamed up with countries like Australia and Argentina to lock in supplies and reduce risks from global disruptions.