Parliament Question: Objectives of NCMM

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINES LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. †2907 ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025 OBJECTIVES OF NCMM †2907: SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI:

SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR:

SHRI BHARAT SINGH KUSHWAH:

Will the Minister of MINES be pleased to state:

(a) the key objectives and targeted goals of the National Critical Mineral Mission

(NCMM);

(b) the various essential components of NCMM; and

(c) the steps taken under NCMM to promote international cooperation and private sector participation for exploration programmes? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF COAL AND MINES (SHRI G. KISHAN REDDY)

(a): The objectives of the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) are: i) To secure India’s critical mineral supply chain by ensuring mineral availability from domestic and foreign sources. ii) Strengthening the value chains by enhancing technological, regulatory, and financial ecosystems to foster innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness in mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recycling.

Expected Targets of NCMM are as follows:

Key heads Total (2024-25 to 2030-31) Domestic Critical Mineral Exploration Projects 1200 Foreign Critical Mineral Mines 50 Incentive scheme for recycling - total materials recycled (kt) 400 Patents in critical mineral value chain 1000Skill development 10000 Mineral Processing Parks 4 Centre of Excellence 3 Mineral Stockpile (cumulative) 5

(b): Following are the components of the NCMM: i. Increasing Domestic Critical Minerals Production ii. Acquisition of Critical Mineral Assets Abroad iii. Recycling of Critical Minerals iv. Trade and Markets v. Scientific Research & Technological Advancement for Critical Minerals vi. Human Resource Development vii. Developing Effective Funding, Financing and Fiscal Incentives

(c): Ministry of Mines is actively facilitating international and private sector collaboration through seminars, meetings, roadshows etc. The Ministry maintains regular coordination with Indian embassies to identify potential opportunities in the critical minerals sector in respective countries. In the interest of developing bilateral cooperation with mineral resource rich countries, the Ministry has entered into bilateral MoUs with the Governments of a number of countries such as Australia, Argentina, Zambia, Peru, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi etc and also with international organizations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA).

For the acquisition of overseas mineral assets, the Ministry of Mines has established a joint venture company, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL). KABIL has signed an Exploration and Development Agreement with CAMYEN, a state-owned enterprise of Catamarca province of Argentina, for exploration and mining of five Lithium Brine Blocks in Argentina in an area of 15703 Hectares.

Ministry of Mines is also engaged in various multilateral and bilateral platforms such as Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), India-US Strategic Mineral Recovery Initiative, the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), and UK-India Technology Security Initiative (TSI), etc. for strengthening the critical minerals value chain.

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