India prepares to import Lithium from South American nations -

New Delhi: India is completely dependent on China for Lithium and is making efforts to import it from the South American countries like Argentina, Chile and Bolivia. India is increasing cooperation with these Lithium Triangle countries to reduce the dependence on China for Lithium supplies. As per reports, India is even preparing to purchase Lithium mines in these countries. It has been reported that a few months ago, Khanij Bidesh Limited, of the Indian government, signed an agreement with Argentina, in this regard. If Lithium supplies start from these countries having huge stocks of this ore to India, the Indian dependence on China will reduce. Also, if there is a guarantee of a steady Lithium supply, the government plan for promoting electric vehicles will also receive a boost.

India will require Lithium-Ion batteries as the fuel of the future. The government has drafted a policy to promote e-vehicles, reducing the dependence on petrol and diesel. For this, the government is even providing subsidies to the e-vehicles. It was reported that the government plan is to ensure that 100% of the vehicles on Indian roads are electric by the year 2030. But the shortage of Lithium in India is the biggest challenge to attain this objective. Laptop and mobile batteries are also made from Lithium. India does not have big deposits of Lithium. Lithium deposits were located at a distance of 100 kilometres from Bengaluru last year. But this stock is not enough to fulfil the future requirements. Currently, India is importing Lithium from China. But the India-China relations have been strained over the last few months. India has adopted the policy to reduce imports from China, after the cowardly attack on the Indian soldiers, in the act of betrayal by China, in the Galwan Valley in Ladakh.

Against this background, India is now making efforts to import Lithium from Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, known as the Lithium Triangle, and even purchase Lithium mines there. These are the leading countries in Lithium production. There are humungous deposits of Lithium in these countries’ border regions, and India has expressed interest even in purchasing these mines. It is reported that Khanij Bidesh Limited has signed an agreement with Argentina, in this regard.

Khanij Bidesh Limited was established in 2019 by merging NALCO, Hindustan Copper and Mineral Corporation of India. Khanij Bidesh Limited has been assigned the task of procuring the minerals required by the country.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to further develop the Lithium-ion batteries, to reduce the time taken for charging the batteries.