The Union Cabinet has cleared a Rs. 1,500 crore incentive scheme under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) to boost India’s ability to recycle critical minerals from sources like e-waste, old lithium-ion batteries, and parts from end-of-life vehicles. The plan will support both new and existing recycling companies. The goal is to set up recycling capacity of 270 kilo tonnes per year, produce 40 kilo tonnes of critical minerals, attract about Rs. 8,000 crore in private investment, and create nearly 70,000 jobs. The government says this will make India’s supply chains stronger and reduce dependence on imports. Critical minerals are often called the “oil of the 21st century” as they are scarce, highly strategic, and essential for modern industries, from electronics to renewable energy.

India’s ambitious climate goals

India has set big climate goals, cutting the emissions intensity of its GDP by 45 per cent by 2030 (compared to 2005 levels), making half of its power capacity non-fossil by 2030, and reaching net-zero emissions by 2070.

A key part of achieving this is the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which focuses on securing long-term supplies of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths. The mission is not just about clean energy and electric vehicles but it also aims to bring in investments, push innovation, and make India a central player in global supply chains for future industries.

With the world moving fast towards green energy and advanced tech, access to critical minerals has become one of the most important battlegrounds in geopolitics.

National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)

In January 2025, India launched the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), a seven-year programme running from 2024–25 to 2030–31. The mission has a budget of Rs 16,300 crore, with an additional Rs 18,000 crore expected from PSUs and other partners.

The NCMM is more than just a mining plan, it is a strategic roadmap to secure India’s energy future, boost industrial growth, and strengthen technological self-reliance. From lithium for electric vehicles to rare earths for defence, the mission covers a wide range of critical resources.

One of its major goals is to promote innovation, with the target of filing 1,000 patents across the critical minerals value chain by 2030–31. The idea is to fast-track the creation and commercialization of homegrown technologies needed for India’s clean energy shift and strategic industries.

The mission is already gaining momentum. On April 6, 2025, guidelines were approved for setting up a dedicated Centre of Excellence (CoE) under NCMM.