The National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) is a strategic scheme launched by the Government of India to secure the nation's supply chain for minerals essential for economic development and national security. The mission was announced by the Finance Minister in the Union Budget 2024-25 and formally approved by the Union Cabinet on January 29, 2025, with an expenditure of ₹16,300 crore over seven years, from FY 2024-25 to 2030-31. The problem it solves is the high supply risk and vulnerability associated with critical minerals—like Lithium, Cobalt, and Rare Earth Elements—which are indispensable for high-tech industries, clean energy, and defense, but are often concentrated in a few geographical locations globally.
The NCMM works by adopting a "whole-of-government" approach, encompassing the entire value chain from exploration to recovery. Key mechanisms include intensifying domestic exploration, with the Geological Survey of India (GSI) tasked to conduct 1,200 exploration projects by 2030-31. It also encourages Indian Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) and private companies to acquire critical mineral assets abroad and proposes the development of a national stockpile. Furthermore, the mission includes an Incentive Scheme for mineral recycling with a budget of ₹1,500 crore to boost the recovery of critical minerals from end-of-life products.
The NCMM is closely connected to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957 (MMDR Act), which was amended in 2023 to facilitate the exploration and mining of critical minerals. A committee formed by the Ministry of Mines in November 2022 identified 30 critical minerals, with 24 of them included in Part D of Schedule I of the MMDR Act, granting the Central Government exclusive auctioning authority. The mission also supports India's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and its goal of sourcing 50% of its cumulative installed power capacity from non-fossil fuels by 2030. To fast-track approvals, critical mineral mining projects have been included as projects of security and strategic importance and exempted from public hearings.