Securing India's Critical Mineral Future: Geopolitical Foresight, Research Priorities, and Institutional Culture for Cobalt, Lithium, and Nickel

Amit Kumar ()
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Amit Kumar: Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER)

Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) Policy Paper from Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), New Delhi, India

Abstract: This paper examines the geopolitical structures governing critical mineral markets and assesses how they shape India's exposure to supply disruptions, price volatility, and strategic competition using the Dependency Risk Index (DRI). By analysing where and how India sources key minerals, the study identifies a layered risk profile encompassing resource concentration, trade dependencies, and geopolitical leverage. The paper argues that informed, data-driven policy design, spanning overseas mineral partnerships, domestic recycling, substitution, and international cooperation, will be central to mitigating these risks. Decisions taken in the current decade will play a decisive role in determining India’s energy sovereignty, industrial competitiveness, and global positioning in the geopolitics of electrification by 2030 and beyond.

Keywords: critical minerals; dependency risk index; mineral trade; critical mineral geopolitics; trade flows; icrier (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 20 page
Date: 2026-02
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bdc:ppaper:65

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