India and Sri Lanka Strengthen Ties in Critical Minerals

17 Feb 2025 CW Team

The discussions focused on fostering bilateral cooperation in mineral exploration and mining, particularly in securing critical minerals essential for both nations' economic and industrial growth. A key focus was placed on Sri Lanka’s vast graphite and beach sand mineral resources, which hold immense potential in supporting the global shift towards clean energy, advanced battery technologies, and high-tech industries.

During the meeting, both leaders acknowledged the importance of strengthening collaboration in mineral exploration and mining opportunities for Indian companies in Sri Lanka. Shri Dubey emphasized that India's National Critical Mineral Mission is aimed at securing a steady supply of essential raw materials like lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and copper to meet the country’s ambitious renewable energy target. He stated that India is actively working towards granting mining rights for critical minerals, forging international partnerships, and encouraging Indian companies to acquire mineral assets globally. Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on exploration opportunities, technological collaboration, and investment prospects in these sectors. The possibility of mineral exploration on a Government-to-Government (G2G) basis was also discussed, with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) expressing its interest in conducting mineral assessments in Sri Lanka. Additionally, Sri Lanka requested India to encourage Indian companies to participate in the exploration and development of its beach sand and graphite resources.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both leaders agreeing to accelerate efforts toward formalizing agreements and exploring new avenues for cooperation in the mineral sector.

Union Minister of State for Coal and Mines Shri Satish Chandra Dubey held a productive meeting today with Shri Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Government of Sri Lanka, at Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi. The discussions focused on fostering bilateral cooperation in mineral exploration and mining, particularly in securing critical minerals essential for both nations' economic and industrial growth. A key focus was placed on Sri Lanka’s vast graphite and beach sand mineral resources, which hold immense potential in supporting the global shift towards clean energy, advanced battery technologies, and high-tech industries. During the meeting, both leaders acknowledged the importance of strengthening collaboration in mineral exploration and mining opportunities for Indian companies in Sri Lanka. Shri Dubey emphasized that India's National Critical Mineral Mission is aimed at securing a steady supply of essential raw materials like lithium, graphite, nickel, cobalt, and copper to meet the country’s ambitious renewable energy target. He stated that India is actively working towards granting mining rights for critical minerals, forging international partnerships, and encouraging Indian companies to acquire mineral assets globally. Both sides engaged in in-depth discussions on exploration opportunities, technological collaboration, and investment prospects in these sectors. The possibility of mineral exploration on a Government-to-Government (G2G) basis was also discussed, with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) expressing its interest in conducting mineral assessments in Sri Lanka. Additionally, Sri Lanka requested India to encourage Indian companies to participate in the exploration and development of its beach sand and graphite resources. The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both leaders agreeing to accelerate efforts toward formalizing agreements and exploring new avenues for cooperation in the mineral sector.

Equipment

03 Jun 2026

John Crane Retrofit Cuts Water Use at Copper Mine Pump

John Crane has retrofitted a mechanical seal on a large underflow thickener slurry pump at a major copper mining operation, reducing sealing water consumption by around 288,000 litres per day while improving maintenance efficiency on a critical asset.The retrofit replaced the pump's traditional stuffing box arrangement, which required shaft sleeve replacement every four months due to abrasive wear. These maintenance activities involved significant downtime, a 100-tonne crane and extensive manpower.John Crane developed a mechanical seal package that could be installed without modifying the exis..

Resources

03 Jun 2026

TKIL Industries Appoints Gaurav Srivastava as CFO

TKIL Industries has appointed Gaurav Kumar Srivastava as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective 1 June 2026. He succeeds Ketan Pendse, Chief Financial Officer and Whole-time Director, who is stepping down after more than two decades with the company. Srivastava previously served as Executive Vice President, Finance & Taxation.Announcing the appointment, Vivek Bhatia, Managing Director & CEO, TKIL Industries, thanked Pendse for his long-standing contribution to the organisation and wished him success in his future endeavours.Bhatia said, “Gaurav’s appointment reflects our continued focus ..

Technology

03 Jun 2026

Siemens Launches Intelligence Center X for AI

Siemens has launched Intelligence Center X, an industrial AI orchestration software designed to help organisations move from isolated AI pilots to scalable business impact. The software enables people and AI agents to work together through shared context, workflows and lifecycle intelligence.Part of Siemens Xcelerator, Intelligence Center X connects industrial data, models and workflows on a governed foundation, allowing companies to deploy AI-driven applications and agents with traceability and control. It combines the Mendix low-code platform with Siemens’ Graph Studio and AI Studio softwa..