India initiates discussions with countries like Australia, the US, Bolivia, Britain, Japan, South Korea, and Russia’s TENEX to seek technical assistance in lithium processing. With the goal of bolstering its lithium mining and electric vehicle (EV) industries, India aims to reduce reliance on China and achieve self-sufficiency. The Ministry of Mines is in the process of auctioning its first mining rights to lithium blocks, discovered in Jammu and Kashmir and Chhattisgarh, with companies like Ola Electric and Vedanta bidding for critical minerals blocks.