NITI Aayog Partners with TEXMiN to Strengthen India's Critical Minerals Ecosystem

Why in the News?

**NITI Aayog** and **TEXMiN** (Technology Innovation Hub at IIT ISM Dhanbad) signed a joint Statement of Intent (**SoI**) to strengthen India’s critical mineral ecosystem and enhance technological self-reliance.

Key Features / Major Points:

- Strategic Alignment:

- The collaboration aims to accelerate indigenous R&D, promote sustainable mineral value chains, and strengthen supply chain resilience.

- Aligns with the mandates of the **National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM)** and the broader vision of *Aatmanirbhar* and *Viksit Bharat 2047*.

- Four Core Areas of Collaboration:

- **1. Research & Technology Development:** Focusing on advanced processing, refining, material science, and recycling.

- **2. Technical & Strategic Studies:** Analyzing global supply chain vulnerabilities and domestic capacity.

- **3. Policy & Institutional Support:** Fostering synergies among government, academia, research institutions, and private industry.

- **4. Capacity Building & Knowledge Exchange:** Skill development and technology translation.

- Focus on Secondary Resources:

- Signed during NITI Aayog Member **Gobardhan Das's** visit to IIT (ISM) Dhanbad for the National Symposium on Critical Minerals and Rare Earths (CMRE 2026).

- Emphasized shifting from a purely mining-centric model toward an integrated value chain that includes recovering critical minerals from secondary sources like coal fly ash, red mud, mine tailings, and e-waste.

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Static GK Facts:

- NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India):

- Formed: **January 1, 2015** (Replaced Planning Commission) | Headquarters: **New Delhi**.

- Chairperson: **Prime Minister Narendra Modi**.

- Vice Chairperson: **Dr. Ashok Kumar Lahiri** (Assumed office May 2026).

- Chief Executive Officer (CEO): **Anurag Jain (IAS)** (Assumed office August 17, 2026).

- TEXMiN (Technology Innovation in Mining & Exploration):

- Center of Excellence located at **IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, Jharkhand**, funded under DST's National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS).

One-Liner Quiz (All Competitive Exams):

Q: NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent (SoI) with which institute's TEXMiN hub to bolster India's critical minerals value chain?

A: IIT (ISM) Dhanbad

Q: Who is the current CEO of NITI Aayog (assumed charge in August 2026)?

A: Anurag Jain (IAS)

Q: Who serves as the current Vice Chairperson of NITI Aayog?

A: Dr. Ashok Kumar Lahiri

#NITIAayog #TEXMiN #IITISMDhanbad #CriticalMinerals #NCMM #ViksitBharat #CurrentAffairs #StaticGK