India has launched the seventh round of auctions for critical and strategic mineral blocks, a move aimed at boosting the country’s self-reliance and securing vital resources for industries of the future.
The auction was inaugurated by Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy and will be conducted online through a transparent two-stage process. This follows six earlier rounds in which 46 critical mineral blocks were successfully auctioned, reflecting growing interest from investors in India’s mining sector.
This latest tranche offers 19 blocks across several states, containing minerals that are essential for sectors like electronics, renewable energy, defence, fertilisers, and advanced manufacturing. Key resources in these blocks include lithium, graphite, rare earth elements, tungsten, vanadium and titanium, all critical for modern technology and clean energy.
The government’s focus on these minerals comes amid rising global demand and increasingly strained supply chains. Many critical minerals are concentrated in a few regions worldwide, making domestic access vital for India’s industrial and strategic needs.
To facilitate this, the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, was amended in August 2023, formally recognising 24 minerals as “critical and strategic.” This gives the central government authority to auction mining leases and composite licences, with revenue shared with the respective state governments.
The online auction process selects winners based on the highest bid percentage of the value of mineral output. Over the years, the procedure has been refined to improve transparency and efficiency, including smoother post-auction steps like performance security and licence issuance.
Officials say the continued auction rounds are part of India’s broader strategy to reduce import dependence, attract investment, and build robust domestic industries that rely on these minerals. The seventh tranche is expected to draw interest from both domestic and international investors, contributing to India’s goal of secure and sustainable mineral supply chains.
