Daily News Digest
October 21, 2026
India's Clean Energy Transition & Critical Minerals Strategy: Balancing Growth with Ecology
Summary for Quick Revision: Analysis of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, lithium and rare earth discoveries, and global supply chain vulnerabilities.
As India advances towards its target of 500 GW non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and Net Zero by 2070, securing supply chains for critical minerals (Lithium, Cobalt, Nickel, and Rare Earth Elements) has become an urgent economic and strategic imperative.
Major Dimensions:
- Offshore and Onshore Auction of 24 Critical and Strategic Minerals under the MMDR Act.
- Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) joint ventures in Argentina and Australia for lithium brine extraction.
- Environmental considerations in fragile Himalayan ecosystems (such as the Reasi lithium find in Jammu & Kashmir).
- Developing domestic recycling and refining technologies to avoid single-country import dependency.
GS-3, Environment, Mineral Security, Energy Transition
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