India is aggressively securing critical minerals and rare earth supply chains amid global geopolitical shifts. Key partnerships with Australia, the USA, Japan, and the EU under frameworks like the Mineral Security Partnership (MSP) and bilateral deals target lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths. The National Critical Mineral Mission (2025) allocates ₹16,300 crore for domestic exploration and overseas acquisition. Simultaneously, India's semiconductor mission (India Semiconductor Mission) aims to reduce chip import dependence, with approved fab projects in Gujarat and Assam.

Critical minerals — lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite, rare earth elements (REEs) — are foundational to the clean energy transition, defence systems, and digital infrastructure. China currently controls roughly 60% of global REE mining and over 85% of processing, making supply chain diversification a strategic imperative globally and for India specifically.

India's vulnerability is acute: it imports nearly 100% of its lithium, much of its cobalt, and most semiconductor chips. This creates a triple dependency — energy, technology, and defence — that can be weaponised in geopolitical standoffs, as seen when China restricted gallium and germanium exports in 2023.

The National Critical Mineral Mission (launched 2025) addresses this through three tracks: (1) domestic exploration in Rajasthan, Jharkhand, Odisha, and the Himalayan belt; (2) overseas mineral asset acquisition via KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) in Argentina, Australia, and Chile; and (3) recycling and urban mining from e-waste.

On semiconductors, the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM) under MeitY cleared projects by Tata Electronics, CG Power-Renesas, and Micron, with fabs in Dholera (Gujarat) and Morigaon (Assam). These chips initiatives are linked to the PLI scheme and the broader 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' goal. Geopolitically, India's participation in the Quad's Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) initiative with the USA and MSP multilateral framework reflects a strategic technology alignment with the Global West — a significant foreign policy signal.