New Delhi, July 8 -- The race for critical minerals has become one of the biggest investment themes of this decade.

Countries are scrambling to secure supplies of lithium, rare earth elements, graphite, nickel, and other strategic minerals that power everything from electric vehicles and renewable energy projects to semiconductors and defence equipment. Without these minerals, the world's energy transition slows down.

India doesn't have abundant reserves of many of these resources. But that isn't stopping the country from building its own critical minerals ecosystem.

Mining companies are expanding into strategic assets, metal producers are diversifying beyond their traditional businesses, and government-backed initiatives are encouragi...