14 August 2026 at 07:41 pm IST
India is planning to establish four dedicated critical mineral processing parks in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha as part of its efforts to strengthen domestic processing and value addition for strategically important minerals. The initiative was outlined by Mines Secretary Keshav Chandra on August 13, 2026. The parks will initially focus on lithium and nickel, which are important raw materials for battery manufacturing. The government intends to create specialised, element-specific ecosystems where processing and downstream industries can be developed together, enabling greater value addition within India rather than relying heavily on overseas processing. The initiative is aligned with the objectives of India's National Critical Mineral Mission, which seeks to build stronger domestic capabilities across critical-mineral exploration, processing, refining and related value chains. Developing domestic processing capacity can also help improve supply-chain resilience and reduce India's dependence on imported critical minerals and processed materials. Lithium and nickel are particularly significant for the energy transition, as they are used in batteries that support electric vehicles and energy-storage systems. Building domestic processing ecosystems around these materials could therefore support the expansion of battery manufacturing and other clean-energy technologies while strengthening India's industrial base. The government plans to subsequently expand downstream processing for other critical minerals. Overall, the move represents a positive step for India's clean-energy and resource-security agenda, linking critical-mineral development with battery manufacturing, electrification and the broader transition toward a lower-carbon economy.
