In a significant move to bolster India’s critical minerals sector, state-owned exploration powerhouse Oil India (OIL) and mining giant Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) have officially joined forces. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Friday, September 19, 2025, to embark on a collaborative journey for the exploration and development of vital critical and strategic minerals, including copper and its related resources.
A joint statement released by both public sector undertakings highlighted the immense potential of this partnership. They emphasized that this collaboration is poised to "play a pivotal role in securing strategic mineral resources essential for the nation’s energy security, industrial growth, and technological advancement."
This isn’t Oil India’s first venture into the critical minerals domain. The state-run explorer has already successfully diversified its portfolio, having secured a crucial graphite and vanadium block in Arunachal Pradesh last November during Tranche-IV of the auction for critical and strategic mineral blocks. More recently, this May, they also acquired a valuable potash and halite block in Rajasthan as part of Tranche-V.
Further demonstrating its commitment, Oil India had previously signed an MoU with IREL (India) Ltd in August of this year, focusing on the development of critical minerals. As a significant public sector undertaking, OIL is also a key player identified to invest under the ambitious National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), joining the ranks of other industry giants like Coal India, NTPC Mining, Steel Authority of India, and ONGC Videsh.
The Central Government’s National Critical Minerals Mission (NCMM), launched in January of this year, outlines a seven-year roadmap extending to 2030-31. Its core objective is to vigorously explore and secure critical minerals, thereby fostering robust energy security, stimulating industrial growth, and achieving greater technological independence for the nation.
Securing these vital resources has become a pressing policy imperative for New Delhi, especially in light of ongoing global economic challenges. These include the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policies and China’s strategic counter-actions, which have at times restricted the export of critical minerals globally.
Notably, the Paris-headquartered International Energy Agency (IEA), in its 2025 Global Critical Minerals Outlook, specifically highlighted India’s "major untapped resource potential," underscoring the nation’s significant role in the future of critical mineral supply.