New Delhi, Sept. 19 -- India must move from a resource advantage to technology-driven competitiveness in mining and metals, with technology integrated across the entire value chain from geological exploration and mining to processing, logistics, recycling and downstream manufacturing, Union Minister of State (I/C) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh said while speaking to Millennium Post.
The minister said the sector was entering a defining phase as the country moves towards Viksit Bharat 2047, with a central role in infrastructure, energy transition, manufacturing and self-reliance.
Digital technologies could bring together geological, operational, energy, logistics and market data to enable faster decision-making, he said, while process technologies could unlock low-grade ores and residues and support lower-carbon metal-making.
"Our ambition should be to develop, demonstrate and scale technologies in India, for India and for the world," he said.
Mining and metals must move from resource advantage to technology-led competitive advantage, said NITI Aayog Member Prof Gobardhan Das, listing measurable value, trusted data, industrial test beds, future-ready talent and ecosystem collaboration as priorities.
While addressing the third edition of the FICCI conference on 'Digitalisation, AI, Automation and Technology Integration in Mining & Metals', Singh said the sector's competitiveness would depend not merely on how much mineral is extracted or metal produced, but on how efficiently,
safely and sustainably India converts geological resources into high-value, circular material supply chains.
He called for moving beyond isolated pilots towards connected, scalable and trusted systems.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.