Now Reading: India plans critical mineral parks, pushes Latin America ties
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India plans critical mineral parks, pushes Latin America ties
The government will set up four critical mineral processing parks in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, with an initial focus on lithium and nickel for the battery sector. Mines secretary Keshav…
The Story in Brief
The government will set up four critical mineral processing parks in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, with an initial focus on lithium and nickel for the battery sector. Mines secretary Keshav Chandra said the parks, part of the Rs 34,300-crore National Critical Mineral Mission, will create dedicated ecosystems from processing to downstream industries. State governments will lead planning, with central technical support.
Simultaneously, India is deepening engagement with Latin America for critical minerals and energy. Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) signed a lithium exploration deal in Argentina in 2024. During PM Modi’s July 2025 Brazil visit, the two countries identified critical minerals as essential. India also imported 427,000 barrels per day of Venezuelan oil in May 2026, and ONGC Videsh is set to operate two Venezuelan oil blocks.
The Indian Opinion
The twin moves, domestic processing parks and overseas mining push, show India is not putting all eggs in one basket. Some voices argue the Latin America focus is too slow or that domestic processing alone cannot match China’s scale. But both are necessary halves of a strategy. The real test is speed: can these parks become operational before global competition for lithium and nickel tightens further?
Sources (2): government.economictimes.indiatimes.com, timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
