When we think of national security and defence systems, the first images that often come to mind are fighter jets soaring through the skies, missiles guarding our borders, and drones protecting strategic camps and locations. What we rarely consider, however, is the fundamental requirement behind building such powerful and advanced machinery.

The answer lies beneath our feet — in the valuable metals and minerals hidden within the Earth’s crust. In essence, the strength of a nation’s defence sector begins with the availability of these strategic and critical minerals, without which it would be impossible to manufacture and operate military equipment like fighter jets, missiles, and drones. Therefore, it is fair to say that achieving self-reliance in defence first requires self-reliance in the mining and minerals sector.

For or a truly self-reliant defence capability, India must ensure self-reliance in its critical mineral resources, which are fundamental for manufacturing advanced military technologies. From historic milestones like the Pokhran nuclear tests to recent military operations such as Operation Sindoor, the indispensability of strategic minerals like titanium, lithium, cobalt, tungsten, beryllium, and rare earth elements has been repeatedly demonstrated.

These minerals form the backbone of high-performance fighter jets, missiles, drones, and air defence systems by providing essential properties such as strength, heat resistance, and advanced electronic functionalities.

India’s defence hardware, including modern jets like TEJAS MK-1A and forthcoming projects like the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), heavily depends on critical minerals for their engines, body structures, and avionics. Similarly, drones used in crucial defence roles require minerals for batteries and semiconductor components. Missiles such as Agni and BrahMos demand metals like tungsten and tantalum to endure high thermal and mechanical stresses.

Drones have rapidly emerged as pivotal technologies in modern defence and military sectors, driven by their versatility, precision, and ability to operate in complex environments. Among the prominent national drone systems, such as Rustom-II, the forthcoming Combat Air Teaming System (CATS) Warrior, and the Heron, lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries serve as the critical power source. These batteries facilitate extended flight durations, quicker recharge times, and high energy density, which are vital for operational effectiveness and endurance in military missions.

Beyond energy storage, drones incorporate a range of critical minerals like graphite, gallium, and germanium, each playing an essential role in the functionality of various components. Graphite is predominantly used in the Li-ion battery anodes, enhancing the efficiency and longevity of the power supply.

Gallium and germanium are crucial in the fabrication of semiconductor chips, which form the brains of drones’ control systems, communication modules, sensor arrays, and signal processors. These semiconductors contribute to the drones’ capability to process data rapidly, maintain secure and reliable communications, and execute complex algorithms for navigation and targeting with precision.

The confluence of these minerals allows drones to deliver high performance aligned with their stringent operational requirements. For instance, in sensors and optoelectronic systems, germanium’s superior optical properties enable high-resolution imaging and infrared sensing capabilities, which are indispensable for reconnaissance and surveillance. Gallium arsenide semiconductors, known for their high electron mobility, are critical in enhancing radar and communication systems aboard drones, ensuring robust performance even in electronically contested environments.

Hence, the integration of Li-ion batteries and critical minerals like graphite, gallium, and germanium equips drone systems such as Rustom-II, CATS Warrior, and Heron with the power, intelligence, and sensory proficiency necessary for contemporary defence operations.

This blend of advanced materials and technologies not only boosts the drones’ operational efficacy but also aligns with the evolving defence strategies that increasingly depend on automated, precise, and resilient unmanned platforms to maintain tactical advantages in diverse combat scenarios. The strategic emphasis on these materials underscores their vital role in future-proofing drone capabilities amidst intensifying technological and geopolitical dynamics in defence domains.

The success of nuclear tests relied on uranium, lithium, zirconium, and beryllium mined and processed domestically. Operation Sindoor, India’s swift 2025 military air operation, highlighted reliance on missile and air defence systems employing compositional elements like tungsten and titanium alloys integral to performance and durability.

At the core of these technologies are critical minerals essential for the manufacturing and operational efficiency of drones and missiles. Indian missile systems like Agni, Prithvi, and BrahMos rely on metals such as tungsten, niobium, tantalum, and beryllium. These elements are vital for managing fundamental parameters like temperature, pressure, and velocity, ensuring missile durability and performance under extreme conditions.

Tungsten's high melting point and density help withstand heat and mechanical stresses, while niobium and tantalum contribute to strength and corrosion resistance. Beryllium’s lightweight and stiffness make it invaluable in aerospace and defence applications. The dependency on these critical minerals underscores the strategic importance of securing supply chains for modern defence technologies, as access to these materials directly influences a nation's capacity to produce advanced drones and missile systems, impacting its military effectiveness in contemporary and future conflicts.

Despite possessing some domestic reserves in states like Arunachal Pradesh, Odisha, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, and Karnataka, India remains significantly dependent on imports for many critical minerals, including rare earths, gallium, and cobalt.

This import reliance poses strategic risks due to geopolitical instability and supply chain vulnerabilities, exemplified by export restrictions from China on essential materials in 2023.

To address these challenges, the government has established Khanij Bidesh India Ltd. (KABIL), a joint venture aiming to secure overseas critical mineral assets through international partnerships, acquisitions, and strategic collaborations with resource-rich countries in Africa, Australia, and South America.

KABIL, alongside defence research bodies like DRDO’s Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), is also focused on indigenous mineral substitution, enhancing domestic mining, processing, and R&D capacities.

The government’s National Critical Mineral Mission further supports these efforts, emphasizing exploration, sustainability, and technology-driven self-reliance.

India’s defence sector has made significant strides toward domestic manufacturing, with over 65% of defence equipment now produced indigenously, a remarkable shift from earlier heavy import dependence.

The defence production growth is mirrored by expanding exports, signalling India’s potential to emerge as a global defence manufacturing hub. However, the sustainable and secure supply of critical minerals remains a foundational prerequisite.

India’s true strength in defence lies not only in cutting-edge technology and weapons systems visible above ground but also deeply embedded in the strategic minerals beneath its feet.

Achieving self-reliant defence is inseparable from achieving self-reliance in critical mineral resources, making the latter a national security imperative for safeguarding and advancing India’s defence capabilities now and into the future.

IDN (With Agency Inputs)