By Bl Hyderabad Bureau
Copyright thehindubusinessline
Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL), a JV under the Ministry of Mines, is in discussion with several countries, including Zambia and Chile, to acquire critical mineral assets, according to Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy.
Speaking at the 6th tranche of Critical Minerals Blocks Auction Launch and a seminar on Centres of Excellence here on Tuesday, Reddy said: “We are also acquiring critical mineral assets across the world. Our PSU-KABIL under the Ministry of Mines has already acquired lithium blocks in Argentina and is in active negotiations with several other nations, such as Zambia, Chile and other countries. We are also entering into MoUs in several countries, such as Japan, Peru, Australia and the UAE.”
As the demand for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy is likely to increase almost three times by 2030 globally, India would need a robust R&D ecosystem to cater to the future needs, Reddy said adding that India allocated $4 billion to achieve the seven pillars of the National Critical Mineral Mission while the US had earmarked just $1 billion for the same sector.
Published on September 16, 2025
