Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy addressed the Plenary Session of the Battery Summit 2026 in New Delhi on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, highlighting India's expanding opportunities across the critical minerals and clean energy value chain. The minister underscored the government's commitment to strengthening domestic capabilities in battery manufacturing, mineral recycling, and clean energy technologies under the framework of the National Critical Mineral Mission.

Context

Speaking at the plenary session, Kishan Reddy stated that the government is 'strengthening the entire critical minerals value chain through the National Critical Mineral Mission, with a focus on exploration, mining, processing, recycling, and innovation.' The remarks came at an industry event dedicated to battery technologies and the minerals that underpin India's clean energy ambitions. The minister credited the direction of the initiative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Battery Summit 2026 brought together stakeholders from mining, electric vehicle manufacturing, and battery recycling sectors, reflecting the convergence of industrial and policy interest in securing India's clean energy supply chains.

Policy Backdrop

The National Critical Mineral Mission forms the centrepiece of India's strategy to reduce import dependence in minerals essential for batteries and renewable energy infrastructure. The mission spans the full value chain — from geological exploration and domestic mining to processing, recycling, and technological innovation.

The policy lineage is substantial. The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023 formally notified 30 critical minerals and enabled their commercial auctioning to accelerate domestic production. Before that, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd was incorporated in 2019 to acquire overseas mineral assets — including lithium and cobalt — to hedge against global supply disruptions. The Production Linked Incentive scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells, approved in 2021, was designed to seed domestic battery manufacturing capacity, complementing the upstream mining push.

Together, these measures reflect a deliberate Atmanirbhar Bharat approach to critical minerals, addressing each node of the supply chain rather than treating them in isolation.

Stakeholders and Impact

The constituencies most directly affected by the mission's progress include domestic mining companies eyeing newly auctionable critical mineral blocks, electric vehicle manufacturers seeking reliable and affordable battery inputs, and battery recyclers whose role in recovering minerals from spent cells is increasingly central to the circular economy ambition embedded in the mission.

India's dependence on imports for key minerals such as lithium and cobalt has long been flagged as a strategic vulnerability, particularly as EV adoption accelerates and renewable energy capacity expands. The government's integrated approach — combining domestic exploration, overseas acquisitions, and recycling incentives — is aimed at distributing this risk across multiple supply sources.

What's Next

Industry observers are watching for the results of forthcoming critical mineral block auctions, which will test whether the legislative framework put in place by the 2023 amendment translates into active exploration and production. Updates to the recycling policy framework under the National Critical Mineral Mission are also anticipated as the government moves from mission design to implementation.

With global supply chains for battery-grade minerals remaining contested — and major economies competing to lock in long-term supply — the pace and outcomes of India's domestic auction programme will be a key indicator of how effectively the country is converting policy intent into mineral security.