Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy has called for the development of indigenous technologies in critical minerals, energy and mining to strengthen India’s energy security and reduce exposure to geopolitical disruptions. He made the remarks while addressing the 17th convocation of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur. Reddy said India needed domestic processing facilities and more efficient mining technologies as demand for critical minerals increases across electric vehicles, renewable energy, semiconductors, batteries and defence. He said the National Critical Mineral Mission was intended to strengthen self-reliance across the supply chain through new technologies and processing capabilities. NIT Raipur is among the institutions working with a Centre of Excellence under the mission. Reddy said indigenous technology would help ensure that domestic production remains resilient against geopolitical challenges as India pursues its net-zero and energy-security objectives. The minister highlighted government support for research and development, including the Rs. 500 bn Anusandhan National Research Foundation and the Rs. 1 tn Deep Tech Research and Development Fund. Other initiatives cited included the Prime Minister’s Early Career Research Grant, Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research, Artificial Intelligence for Science and Engineering, and the Critical Raw Materials Research Programme. Reddy said India now had 52 institutions in the QS World University Rankings 2027, a 271 per cent increase, while the number of universities had risen from around 700 in 2014 to more than 1,100. He also noted that commercial production and shipments of Made-in-India semiconductor memory modules began at Micron’s Sanand facility in Gujarat in February. Patent filings have risen from fewer than 15,000 a decade ago to nearly 175,000 last year, while the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education increased from 23.7 per cent in 2014-15 to around 29 per cent. A total of 1,364 students, including 91 PhD scholars, received degrees at the convocation. Reddy urged graduates to pursue research and innovation in India and apply technology to challenges in energy, mining, healthcare and sustainability.