India needs technology-driven competitiveness in mining, metals: Union Minister Jitendra
New Delhi, Sept 17 (TNT): India needs to move from a resource advantage to technology-driven competitiveness in the mining and metals sector, with technology integrated across the entire value chain from geological exploration and mining to processing, logistics, recycling and downstream manufacturing, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday.
Addressing the inaugural session of the third edition of the FICCI conference on “Digitalization, AI, Automation & Technology Integration in Mining & Metals: Enhancing Competitiveness of the Sector” here, Singh said the sector’s competitiveness would increasingly depend on how efficiently, safely, sustainably and intelligently India converts its geological resources into high-value and resilient material supply chains.
He called for moving beyond isolated technology pilots towards connected, scalable and trusted technology systems that can transform the sector at industrial scale.
The Union Minister said India’s mining and metals sector was entering a defining phase as the country moved towards Viksit Bharat @ 2047, with the sector playing a key role in infrastructure development, energy transition, manufacturing growth, self-reliance and economic competitiveness.
Singh said declining ore grades, deeper and more complex deposits, energy and logistics costs, geopolitical concentration of critical-mineral supply chains and decarbonisation requirements were creating the need for a new technology-led approach.
Digital technologies could integrate geological, operational, equipment, process, energy, logistics and market data, enabling faster decision-making through greater visibility, prediction, coordination and automation, he said.
Process technologies could improve extraction and recovery, unlock low-grade ores and residues, reduce energy and water consumption, support lower-carbon metal-making and strengthen capabilities in separation, refining, advanced materials and recycling, he added.
Singh called for building domestic capabilities in separation, purification, refining, advanced materials, magnet manufacturing, recycling, equipment, skills and intellectual property.
He said technologies that had already matured should be deployed and scaled, while underutilised resources should undergo process validation before being scaled up.
Where strategic capabilities were not available at commercial scale, India should build them domestically or enter selective partnerships while developing indigenous know-how, he said.
The Union Minister said the Ministry of Science and Technology could connect scientific capabilities with industrial applications in artificial intelligence, robotics, cyber-physical systems, sensing, clean energy, biotechnology, geospatial technologies, advanced materials and deep-tech entrepreneurship.
He highlighted the 25 Technology Innovation Hubs established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems as platforms for technology translation, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration in areas relevant to smart mines, plants and supply chains.
Referring to the ₹1 lakh crore Research, Development and Innovation Scheme, Singh said it was aimed at catalysing private-sector participation in high-impact research and strategic technologies through long-term financing, equity support for startups and deep-tech funding mechanisms.
He called for bringing together national missions, research institutions, industry, startups, test facilities and risk capital to move technologies from laboratories to pilots and subsequently to industrial scale.
Singh urged the mining and metals industry to identify high-value operational and process challenges and establish facilities, data and expertise for collaborative development and validation.
He also called for technology solutions tailored to Indian operating conditions, including varied geology, brownfield plants, environmental conditions, affordability, interoperability and scale.
The Union Minister said technology adoption should be measured not merely through prototypes, patents or pilots, but through technologies that are qualified, adopted, replicated and commercialised.
“We should not be content only by adopting the next generation of mining and metals technologies. Our ambition should be to develop, demonstrate and scale technologies in India, for India and for the world,” Singh said.
The two-day FICCI conference brings together policymakers, industry leaders, technology providers, startups, researchers and international partners to discuss technology adoption across India’s mineral-based industries. KPMG in India is the knowledge partner for the conference.
TNT KS
