Critical minerals high on BRICS agenda as India seeks overseas lithium assets: Reddy

New Delhi: Critical minerals will be a major focus of discussions at the BRICS summit, Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Friday, as India steps up efforts to secure overseas supplies and strengthen domestic availability.

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Speaking on the sidelines of the CII Summit on Advanced Materials, Critical Minerals and Metals, Reddy said India was pursuing lithium blocks in Argentina, Australia and Chile through both government-to-government and company-level discussions.

He also said he had held a special meeting with a Russian delegation on Thursday ahead of the two-day BRICS summit, which begins in New Delhi on Saturday.

The summit is expected to address resilience in food, energy, health, disaster reduction and critical supply chains amid a fragmented geopolitical environment.

India seeks greater mineral self-sufficiency

Reddy said critical minerals were essential across industries, from consumer electronics to advanced technology, making reliable access a priority for the government.

“From cell phone to space technology to manufacturing of cameras, everywhere critical minerals are needed. So that’s why the government wants to make India self-sufficient,” he said.

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The government was taking multiple steps to improve the availability of these minerals, including efforts to acquire lithium assets overseas, he added.

Reddy also urged private companies to identify critical mineral assets outside India, undertake exploration and processing, and supply the minerals to the domestic market.

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