E-Paper
Why Africa is central to India’s critical minerals diplomacy
For African countries, a key strategy for enhancing the value obtained from its minerals is to cultivate diverse and sustainable international collaborations
Africa is “poised to become a global clean energy powerhouse,” and the African Continental Free Trade Area, the largest of its kind globally, is set to “turbocharge the region’s economy,” said United Nations secretary general António Guterres in his address to the 38th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa on February 15.
In this context, he also called for justice for Africa’s abundant critical mineral reserves. “Too often, your countries are plundered – bound to the bottom of value chains – as others grow rich on your resources… Africa’s minerals must benefit Africa’s people,” he said. This sentiment reflects national, regional, and continental policies, aimed at ushering in a wave of mineral-led industrialisation in Africa. These initiatives include strengthening fiscal frameworks, improving transparency, promoting local content, developing common standards and facilitating knowledge sharing on the reuse, recycling, and repurposing of materials.
For African countries, a key strategy for enhancing the value obtained from its minerals is to cultivate diverse and sustainable international collaborations. This is where India, with its newly minted Critical Minerals Mission can play a transformative role. The National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM) released in January 2025, emphasises the need to increase trade and investments with resource-rich countries, enter into critical mineral partnership agreements and acquire such assets abroad. It also recognises the evolution in the approach of major producers including the African Union who are “moving from raw material production and focusing instead on value addition.” However, the NCMM stops short of explaining how India’s bid to ensure supply chain security can be accomplished in specific geographies.
Based on new evidence, a recently published CSEP working paper by this author, titled “India, Africa and Critical Minerals: Towards a Green Energy Partnership,” offers policy options for India’s critical minerals strategy in Africa. It aims to clarify why, where, and how India can build strategic collaborations with mineral-rich countries in the region. In a geopolitically charged and dynamic critical minerals landscape, the paper identifies African priorities, highlights Indian interests, and proposes, nine policy pathways to find synergies.
Africa is pivotal to India’s energy transition. As mineral-rich countries in the continent receive increasing attention from established and emerging powers, New Delhi must build on its existing energy partnerships with the region. While India’s nascent position, limited experience, and resource constraints pose challenges, it is imperative that it leverages its strengths.
One policy option is to forge stronger global partnerships in Africa to secure and diversify mineral supply chains and align with global sustainability norms. Towards this effort, the outcomes of Prime Minister Narenda Modi’s recent visit to the US, especially the Strategic Mineral Recovery initiative — a new US-India programme to “recover and process critical minerals (including lithium, cobalt, and rare earths) from heavy industries like aluminium, coal mining and oil and gas” — is especially noteworthy. The Joint Leaders statement emphasised that the two countries will collaborate on research and development, promote investments across the mineral value chain, and deepen cooperation on exploration, beneficiation, processing and recycling of critical minerals.
Further, a part of the US-India Transforming the Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology (TRUST) initiative also includes “building resilient supply chains, including for semiconductors, critical minerals, advanced materials”. Similarly, the US, India, Tanzania clean energy alliance, a triangular development partnership aimed at strengthening energy infrastructure and promoting renewable energy development, offers innovative solutions for enhancing local capacities and fostering sustainable growth.
As African countries look for alternate partnerships, India will need to make an offering that is different from the traditional approach, both in substance and narrative. Towards this end, partnering with other global actors, in developing mining adjacent infrastructure, building capacity or promoting responsible mineral sourcing, could help mitigate risks within a complex and rapidly evolving environment.
Further, as India embarks on its critical minerals diplomacy, these cooperative mechanisms provide a strategic opportunity for New Delhi to pool knowledge, technology, and financial resources, and position itself as a reliable and responsible partner in Africa’s mineral-led industrialisation.
Veda Vaidyanathan is an Associate Fellow, Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP). The views expressed are personal
