News, 22 July 2025
Neyveli Lignite Corporation India (NLC India), a state-run enterprise under the Ministry of Coal, and a subsidiary of Coal India Ltd., is reportedly is in advanced stage of negotiation with Russian Government backed company to secure access to lithium reserves in Africa.
The discussions are focused on NLC India’s potential equity stake in a lithium block located in Mali. The Russian counterpart, a state-owned public sector entity, is supporting this collaboration, which aligns with broader bilateral efforts to advance strategic resource development.
India’s pursuit of this partnership comes as it seeks to diversify and stabilize its lithium supply chain in response to rising domestic demand from electric vehicle (EV) battery makers, grid-scale energy storage providers, and clean technology companies.
This potential alliance with a Russian partner illustrates India’s pragmatic approach to resource diplomacy—balancing efforts between domestic exploration and overseas acquisitions to reduce supply vulnerabilities.
Should the agreement materialize, it would constitute a significant advance in India’s critical minerals security strategy, complementing initiatives by other public sector units like Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) to acquire lithium and cobalt assets abroad. KABIL had signed an Agreement with CAMYEN, a state-owned company of Catamarca, Argentina [Jan 2024]. KABIL signed a MoU with the Critical Mineral Office (CMO), Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISER), Government of Australia for lithium supply[2024]. KABIL has also signed a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) with ENAMI, a state-owned company of Chile, to explore brine-type lithium blocks [Aug 2024].
