New Delhi: India’s critical minerals drive is moving faster as the Centre continues to auction blocks needed for clean energy, electronics, batteries, defence and advanced manufacturing. The Ministry of Mines says these minerals are central to India’s long-term resource security and industrial growth. In recent months, the government has expanded auctions, launched new tranches, and widened the map of mineral exploration across multiple states.
The latest push is part of a larger plan to reduce import dependence and build a stronger domestic supply chain for minerals such as graphite, rare earth elements, vanadium, tungsten, phosphate and potash. These minerals are important for electric vehicles, solar equipment, wind turbines, semiconductors and defence systems.
Details of India Critical Minerals Auction
The Union Ministry of Mines launched the 7th tranche of auction of critical and strategic mineral blocks in March 2026. The ministry said the move was aimed at improving mineral security and speeding up mining sector development. The new tranche added more mineral blocks to the Centre’s pipeline for auction.
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Before this, the government had already built momentum through earlier rounds:
- Tranche V ended with 10 successfully auctioned blocks spread across states including Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh.
- Tranche VI was launched with 23 critical and strategic mineral blocks across 13 states.
- By the time Tranche VII was launched, the Ministry of Mines had already completed multiple rounds and significantly widened the national auction programme.
India Critical Minerals Auction: Key Minerals in the Centre’s Auction Push
The government’s recent auction rounds have included blocks containing:
- Graphite
- Rare Earth Elements (REE)
- Vanadium
- Tungsten
- Titanium
- Phosphorite / Phosphate
- Potash
- Halite
- Lithium-linked and other strategic minerals in the broader critical mineral ecosystem
These minerals are seen as vital for future technologies and for reducing India’s dependence on imported raw materials.
India Critical Minerals Auction: How the Policy Framework Changed
A major reason behind the faster auction cycle is the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023. This change empowered the Central Government to auction mining leases and composite licences for notified critical and strategic minerals.
The government has also introduced auction-based Exploration Licences for deep-seated and critical minerals. This is meant to improve early-stage exploration and help identify new deposits before they are put up for mining.
India Critical Minerals Auction: States are Becoming Part of a Wider Exploration Map
Recent auction rounds have covered or involved mineral-bearing blocks in states such as:
- Andhra Pradesh
- Chhattisgarh
- Jharkhand
- Karnataka
- Madhya Pradesh
- Maharashtra
- Odisha
- Rajasthan
- Telangana
- Uttar Pradesh
The wider spread matters because India’s critical mineral resources are not concentrated in just one region. Different states hold different mineral strengths, from graphite and vanadium to phosphorite, tungsten and rare earth-linked resources.
Read also: Ministry of Mines to Launch Second Tranche of Exploration Licence Auctions with GSI Digital Portal
