'India eyes trade pacts to secure minerals supply'

THE GOVERNMENTIS working to secure the supply of critical minerals through trade agreements with Chile, Peru and Australia while simultaneously ramping up domestic exploration and processing capacity, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday.

- MUKESH JAGOTA

"In our own country, we are looking at increasing explorations and I have been talking to startups engaged in recycling of the waste, from which we can extract rare earths. We are also talking to some of them to create facilities for processing of rare earths," he said.

"Look at Chile and Peru, think about it. Why am I doing FTAwith them in the first place? It gives you the answer," he added, when asked about the steps to address the shortage of these minerals.