New Delhi, July 21 -- As the race for critical minerals intensifies globally, India is looking to lift a long-standing restriction that bars miners from extracting any mineral other than the one they were originally licensed to extract, two people aware of the development said.

The reform, targeting thousands of mines allocated before 2015 when mineral blocks were allotted without auctions, will allow leaseholders to commercially mine newly-discovered strategic minerals, including lithium, cobalt, and rare earths, which are vital for key sectors including clean energy, automobiles, electronics, and defence.

The government plans to introduce an amendment to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act (MMDR Act) in the monsoon...