On Thursday, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), Ashwini Vaishnaw, assured stakeholders that the supply chain for rare earth minerals, which is crucial for the electronics manufacturing sector, is robust and currently operates without any hindrances in the domestic marketplace.
In an interview with ANI, he stated, “The supply chain is firmly established within domestic markets, and we are not facing any bottlenecks at this time.”
In response to inquiries regarding the government’s endeavors to secure essential minerals from global sources, Vaishnaw mentioned, “The Ministry of Mines is actively pursuing this, and we expect to see positive outcomes shortly.”
Vaishnaw also highlighted the Government of India’s initiative known as the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), which aims to ensure a reliable supply of strategic minerals within the country.
This initiative, which is set to be completed by 2025, is designed to foster a self-sufficient supply of minerals that are essential for green energy, advanced technology sectors, and defense applications by enhancing the domestic supply chain through exploration, mining, processing, and international collaborations.
With an allocated budget of Rs 16,300 crore, the mission aims to promote exploration activities, establish Centres of Excellence, encourage research and development, facilitate recycling efforts, and support the acquisition of critical mineral resources from abroad to secure India’s mineral independence.
“The work being done under the Critical Mineral Mission is progressing consistently,” the Minister emphasized.
Supporting Vaishnaw’s statements, S. Krishnan, Secretary at MEITY, conveyed to ANI that in discussions with various companies in the electronics sector, most have confirmed that their supply of rare earth minerals is secure.
He noted, “These companies have expressed that their supply chains are both diversified and reliable.”
Moreover, the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme (ECMS), which was approved by the Indian government in March 2025 with a budget of Rs 22,919 crore, aims to enhance domestic production of electronic components and strengthen the electronics value chain.
This scheme is designed to provide incentives linked to production and employment for investments in specific components, such as display modules and camera modules, with the goal of attracting both domestic and foreign investments to develop a vibrant electronics ecosystem in India.
Significantly, the scheme has already garnered investment commitments that surpass its initial targets, indicating a strong interest from the industry.
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