Atmanirbhar Bharat Act: Mining for India’s Self-Reliance

Beyond catchphrases, the concept of Atmanirbhar Bharat—a self-sufficient India—has developed into a workable framework for the advancement of the country. Atmanirbhar Bharat Act: Mining for India’s Self-reliance has emerged as India’s defining developmental strategy across industries, including manufacturing, digital, defence, and minerals. But a key point is raised: Can India really be independent if it imports a lot of industrial raw materials and essential minerals?

India is currently facing a conundrum. Although its terrain is rich in natural resources, it still imports billions of dollars’ worth of vital metals, minerals, and materials for contemporary businesses. India is susceptible to supply chain interruptions, geopolitical pressures, and worldwide price volatility as a result of this dependence. India must unleash and appropriately use its own mineral wealth if it is to become a truly self-reliant country.

The Paradox of Resources: 

Wealthy Underground, Reliant Large deposits of coal, iron ore, bauxite, lithium, rare earth elements, and other essential minerals that are necessary for the production of electric cars, renewable energy, and defence are situated above India. India still depends on imports to meet its domestic needs in spite of this.

This contradiction draws attention to a more serious issue: our capacity to strategically, sustainably, and effectively utilise national resources. India’s reliance on imports, particularly for rare earths, cobalt, and lithium, exposes it to strategic vulnerabilities as many of these resources are under the control of a small number of countries.

As a result, our policies, technological prowess, and mines all stand in the way of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

The Significance of Domestic Mining

1. Green technology and the energy transition

Minerals like lithium, cobalt, copper, and nickel are essential to India’s clean energy revolution, which includes solar parks, wind farms, and electric cars. Securing these domestically boosts India’s renewable ecosystem and lessens dependency on erratic international supply networks.

2. Strategic Autonomy and National Security

Critical minerals are strategic assets rather than merely financial inputs. Specialised alloys and rare earths are essential to modern communication and defence technologies. India’s strategic autonomy in defence and technology industry is improved by a self-sufficient mineral base.

3. Regional Growth and Employment

Resource-rich but economically underdeveloped areas like Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and the Northeast might be completely changed by mining. Mining can provide jobs and support local development by guaranteeing equitable compensation and sustainable operations.

4. Lowering the Import Charge

The current account deficit is still under pressure from India’s import bill for minerals and crude oil. In addition to stabilising the rupee and encouraging export-oriented refining sectors, responsible domestic mining can lessen reliance on imports.

Obstacles to Mining Self-Sufficiency 

• Bureaucratic Layers and Policy Delays

Mining projects are frequently delayed by the Center’s and the states’ overlapping jurisdictions and several clearances. Complicated forest and environmental permissions create further obstacles and deter private investment. 

•  Social and Ecological Issues

Mining uses a lot of resources and has an impact on the environment. Poorly managed extraction can relocate communities, destroy biodiversity, and pollute water sources. “Green mining,” which combines extraction with ecological restoration and social responsibility, is the answer.

•  Gaps in Technology and Exploration

India is still developing its exploration technology. Deep-sea mining, mineral processing, and advanced geological mapping still rely on outside knowledge. Real self-reliance requires developing indigenous competence in these areas.

• Deficit in Investments

Long-term funding and patient investors are necessary for mining. Uncertainty in policy and shifting global demand frequently deter private actors. To draw in both foreign and domestic investors in a stable environment, simplified laws and financial incentives are required.

The Drive for “Mining Independence” in Policy

Under the larger Atmanirbhar Bharat mission, the government has implemented a number of measures to increase its mineral security and self-reliance:

• The 2023 Critical Minerals Mission a national strategy to map, discover, and process critical minerals that are essential to high-tech and clean energy sectors.
• The Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR) Amendments of 2021 facilitating private involvement, streamlining mining leases, and guaranteeing quicker auction procedures.
• Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL) is a joint venture that aims to secure long-term raw material security by acquiring and developing mineral assets both locally and internationally.
• In order to find seabed mineral resources including polymetallic nodules and rare elements, the Deep Ocean Mission is extending exploration inside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
• Urban mining and the circular economy: promoting the recovery of rare minerals from technological waste to lessen environmental deterioration.

Gaining Knowledge from International Examples

• China used aggressive exploration with stringent export control measures to create a near-monopoly on rare earth mining and refinement.
• Australia’s robust regulatory framework effectively strikes a compromise between mining efficiency and environmental protections.
• To lessen reliance on imports, particularly from single-country suppliers, the US and EU are developing domestic critical-mineral supply chains.
• India can create a model that balances ecological responsibility and economic efficiency by taking lessons from these experiences.

Development through Mining, Not Exploitation

• Atmanirbhar Bharat denotes responsible ownership of national resources, not careless extraction. The goal need to be to: mine with ecologically friendly technologies,
• Engage local communities in the process of making decisions.
• Use digital monitoring to guarantee accountability and transparency and allocate the funds to health, education, and regional infrastructure.

If ethically handled, mining has the potential to be a key component of India’s inclusive and sustainable development narrative.

Owning the resources, technologies, and capacities that enable manufacturing is what Atmanirbhar Bharat is all about, not merely increasing production. At the centre of that change is mining.

How effectively and sustainably India exploits its mineral resources will determine its future prosperity, clean energy goals, and national security. A genuinely Atmanirbhar Bharat will “mine in India” as well as “make in India”—with self-assurance, sustainability, and sovereignty.

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About the Author: Jyoti Verma