A high level panel convened by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) has recommended a stepped up public private push to bolster domestic capability in critical minerals. The panel set out the strategic imperative of reducing import dependence for minerals that underpin the energy transition and advanced manufacturing. It underscored the need for a comprehensive policy framework that aligns exploration, processing and recycling across central and state agencies. The recommendations aim to create an integrated value chain from resource discovery to end use.

The panel advised rapid geological mapping and incentivised exploration to identify economically extractable deposits, coupled with targeted support for downstream processing and refining. It proposed fostering public private partnerships to mobilise capital and technology, and to develop strategic reserves and domestic smelting capacity. The report recommended measures to promote sustainable mining practices and to scale up recycling and urban mining for secondary feedstocks. It also called for closer engagement with research institutions to develop mineral specific processing technologies.

To attract private investment the panel suggested regulatory clarity, time bound approvals and calibrated fiscal incentives that balance national security and commercial viability. It noted that integrated industrial clusters and shared infrastructure could lower costs and accelerate project execution. The recommendations envisaged active role for state governments to streamline land and environmental clearances and to facilitate local employment. The emphasis on supply chain resilience included encouraging diversification of import routes and partner countries.

Implementation would require a coherent governance mechanism to coordinate policy design, licensing and monitoring across ministries and states. The panel envisaged periodic review of strategic priorities and adaptive policy tools to respond to changing technology and market dynamics. It envisaged that domestic capacity building and private sector mobilisation would over time reduce vulnerability to external shocks and support the country's strategic autonomy. The report set out a roadmap intended to position India as a competitive player in critical minerals.