Critical non-fuel mineral resources for India's manufacturing sector: a vision for 2030

Twelve critical minerals could play an important role in the success of the Make in India programme and the sustainable growth of the Indian economy, according to a study released by the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW). The study, supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, provides a first-of-its-kind framework for India to assess the impact of critical minerals on the manufacturing sector, considering both economic importance and associated supply risks. The critical minerals including beryllium, germanium, rare earths (heavy and light), rhenium, tantalum, etc. find specialised use in a range of industries and modern applications, such as aerospace, automobiles, cameras, defense, entertainment systems, laptops, medical imaging, nuclear energy, and smartphones. These critical minerals would also play a role in nurturing the domestic manufacturing capacity to support the government’s low-carbon plans, such as the 100GW solar target, faster adoption and manufacturing of hybrid and electric vehicles, and the national domestic efficient lighting programme.