India is framing critical minerals as an energy-security and national-security problem, not just a mining issue

The government has again placed critical minerals at the centre of India's energy security, industrial competitiveness and national security agenda.

The policy logic is straightforward: batteries, electronics, renewable-energy systems, defence platforms and advanced manufacturing all depend on materials whose mining and processing are concentrated in a small number of countries.

India's response therefore has to go beyond finding more deposits. It requires domestic processing, recycling, technology development, strategic partnerships abroad and closer industry-research links so that discoveries can become usable industrial supply.