India is set to sign an MoU with Israel and Saudi Arabia to explore and process critical minerals. This move aims to strengthen India's domestic supply and reduce reliance on imports, according to Union Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy. As part of the agreement with Israel, India will receive technology that enables potassium extraction from seawater and the use of artificial intelligence in mining. The minister mentioned that the Union Cabinet recently approved the agreement. A policy framework is being prepared and is expected to be finalised in the coming months.

This collaboration will help combine Israel’s expertise with India’s National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM). The agreement with Saudi Arabia comes after a key meeting earlier this month between the Indian minister and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources. It aims to strengthen cooperation in the critical minerals sector and explore new investment opportunities between both countries. Similar agreements are also being planned with countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. Reddy also announced that 20 nodal officers will be stationed in key international locations where critical minerals are found. These officers, based in Indian embassies, will focus on identifying important minerals and managing related activities. Their role will include developing action plans with Indian companies working abroad. 

Reddy mentioned that states like Telangana, Bihar and Arunachal Pradesh which were earlier hesitant, have now agreed to take part in the auction process. Currently, 14 states are involved in India’s mineral action plan, and discussions are underway for Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, and Kerala to join soon. He highlighted that mining activities in these states will create jobs, increase revenue, and help boost the overall development of their economies. So far, 335 mineral blocks have been offered for auction, out of which 106 have been successfully auctioned. State governments have earned a total revenue of ₹4.15 trillion, including ₹2.37 trillion from royalties. Jammu and Kashmir is also expected to adopt the auction process soon. The central government, along with the J&K government, now plans to explore the region's limestone deposits after an unsuccessful attempt to find lithium.

The central government is set to begin extracting valuable minerals from waste materials, including mining dumps, tailings and offshore or petroleum exploration sites. This initiative will start within the next 90 days across all mining operations, with an action plan currently being prepared. Additionally, the government will launch an auction for exploration licenses next month. As part of this plan, Jammu and Kashmir will be included, particularly for limestone extraction. In the financial year 2024, the total mineral production was valued at ₹1.4 trillion, and it is expected to reach ₹1.5 trillion in FY25 (April-December). India has also seen record production of key metal minerals like iron ore, limestone, and manganese. The State Index Mining initiative has been introduced to drive reforms at the state level. Set to begin in FY26, this initiative will assess states based on four key factors: regulatory framework, mineral management, technical skills and sustainability.