Gandhinagar: Gujarat has been identified as one of four states where the Centre plans to set up critical mineral processing parks, in a major push to strengthen India’s domestic value chain for strategic resources, a senior government official said on Tuesday.

The proposed parks will also come up in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra under the National Critical Mineral Mission, which has earmarked Rs 500 crore for the initiative.

Addressing a seminar on “Developing the Critical Minerals Value Chain for a Sustainable Future”, Mines Secretary Piyush Goyal stressed that creating a processing value chain is essential for effectively utilising these resources. Without it, even if minerals are sourced domestically or imported, they risk being exported without value addition, he said.

The official indicated that the locations for all four parks have been finalised following a review meeting held on April 22 with representatives of the respective state governments. The facilities are expected to play a key role in building processing capabilities for a range of critical minerals required by industry.

Goyal noted that the selected states, including Gujarat, were chosen due to their access to ports, which will support logistics and supply chain efficiency. He expressed optimism that “significant progress” on the projects would be achieved by the end of the year.

The development comes as India sharpens its focus on securing and processing key minerals such as lithium and cobalt, which are crucial for electric vehicle (EV) batteries and clean energy technologies. The government is also working to strengthen supply chains through overseas acquisitions.

India has already secured five lithium blocks in Argentina, with production expected to begin by 2029. Additionally, it is exploring investment opportunities in lithium assets across Brazil, Argentina and Australia as part of a broader strategy to diversify sourcing and reduce import dependence. DeshGujarat