India is actively pursuing government-to-government agreements with countries in Africa and Latin America to secure critical mineral blocks, stated Veena Kumari Dermal, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Mines, during an industry event on Tuesday.
Dermal highlighted ongoing discussions with Australia regarding critical minerals and emphasized the need for expedited clearance processes for domestic critical mineral blocks.
“We are engaging in extensive discussions with resource-rich countries in Africa and Latin America to secure mineral blocks on a G2G or priority basis,” Dermal noted.
Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), India’s state-owned firm, is advancing plans to establish operations in Argentina for exploration purposes, Dermal added. Earlier this year, KABIL secured a $24 million lithium exploration pact for five blocks in Argentina.
V.L. Kantha Rao, India’s Secretary of Mines, had previously outlined India’s exploration initiatives in Africa for minerals such as copper, cobalt, and other critical resources, alongside efforts to acquire lithium blocks in Australia during an industry event in March.
