Ratul Puri
India's clean energy ambitions are closely linked to the availability of critical minerals that support technologies such as energy storage, electric mobility and green hydrogen. As highlighted in a recent report by NITI Aayog, the country remains heavily dependent on imports for many of these essential resources. This dependence highlights the need to build stronger domestic capabilities to support India's long-term net-zero targets for 2050 and 2070.
In response, strengthening the domestic mineral ecosystem has become an important priority for ensuring energy security and supporting the scale-up of clean technologies. Expanding local exploration and production will play a key role in reducing external reliance and enabling a more resilient energy transition pathway.
In this context, Ratul Puri's Hindustan Power has secured a Letter of Intent (LOI) for platinum-led critical mineral exploration, starting with a project in Madhya Pradesh. The initiative reflects a focused effort to contribute to India's evolving resource strategy while supporting the development of materials essential for future clean energy systems.
India's critical mineral landscape is becoming increasingly important as the country accelerates its clean energy transition. Minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, graphite and platinum group elements play a vital role in technologies like batteries, electric vehicles, solar infrastructure and green hydrogen. However, India currently relies heavily on imports for many of these resources, creating supply chain vulnerabilities in a sector that is expected to grow rapidly over the coming decades.
To address this challenge, India is actively working to secure and diversify its critical mineral supply chain through overseas partnerships, strategic acquisitions and domestic exploration initiatives. Policy support and industry participation are gradually strengthening the ecosystem, with a focus on reducing import dependence and building long-term resource security. As demand for clean technologies rises, the development of a resilient and self-sufficient critical mineral base will be central to India's energy transition and its broader net-zero ambitions.
Hindustan Power's entry into platinum-led critical mineral exploration marks an important step in supporting India's long-term clean energy and industrial goals. The initiative is expected to contribute to strengthening the domestic supply of minerals that are essential for advanced energy technologies, including hydrogen systems, electric mobility and next-generation industrial applications. By focusing on critical minerals exploration in Madhya Pradesh, Hindustan Power is aligning its efforts with India's broader push to reduce import dependence and build a more secure and resilient resource ecosystem.
The move reflects a broader commitment by Ratul Puri led Hindustan Power to participate in critical segments of the clean energy value chain beyond power generation. As India scales up its energy transition, access to strategically important minerals will play a key role in ensuring stability, innovation and self-reliance. This initiative is positioned to support that national objective by contributing to early-stage discovery and development of critical resources within the country.
Commenting on the same, Ratul Puri, Chairman of Hindustan Power, said, "The allocation of this critical mineral block is a major step toward strengthening India's resource base. Platinum group elements power the technologies that will define the future of clean energy, mobility and advanced manufacturing from hydrogen and fuel cells to electronic and catalytic systems, all of which are central to the energy transition and increasingly important for strengthening resource security."
Ratul Puri further added, "This initiative reflects our commitment to building India's critical mineral capacity in a thoughtful and responsible manner. The progress here will help strengthen resource security, address import dependence and support the country's evolving energy ambitions."
The global energy transition is driving a shift from traditional resource dependence toward a new era defined by critical and future-facing minerals. While conventional energy systems relied heavily on fossil fuels, the clean energy economy is increasingly powered by minerals such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite and platinum group elements. These resources form the backbone of technologies like batteries, electric vehicles, hydrogen systems and renewable energy infrastructure, making them essential to modern industrial growth.
This transition is reshaping how countries and companies think about energy security and resource strategy. Instead of focusing only on extraction of traditional fuels, there is a growing emphasis on securing, processing and developing critical mineral supply chains. Nations are investing in exploration, recycling and international partnerships to reduce vulnerabilities and ensure stable access to these resources. As a result, future minerals are becoming as strategically important as traditional energy resources once were, defining the next phase of global economic and technological competitiveness.
India's transition toward a cleaner and more resilient energy system is closely tied to its ability to secure and develop critical minerals that power future technologies. From energy storage and electric mobility to green hydrogen and advanced manufacturing, these resources will play a defining role in shaping the country's industrial and environmental trajectory. Strengthening domestic capabilities and reducing import dependence will therefore remain central to achieving long-term energy security and sustainability goals.
As India advances toward its 2030 vision, the integration of policy support, private sector participation and strategic exploration efforts will be crucial. Building a robust critical minerals ecosystem will not only support the energy transition but also enhance economic competitiveness on a global scale. This shift marks an important step toward a self-reliant and future-ready India, aligned with its broader climate and development ambitions.
About Ratul Puri:
Ratul Puri is the Chairman of Hindustan Power, an integrated power generation company with a strong presence in renewable and transitional energy. Over the years, Ratul Puri has been actively involved in developing large-scale energy infrastructure projects that support India's growing power requirements and its transition toward cleaner energy sources.
About Hindustan Power:
Hindustan Power is a leading integrated power generation company in India with a focus on renewable and transitional energy generation. With a commitment to sustainability and innovation, the company has been an active contributor to India's energy transformation.
