India Revives Critical Minerals Investment Talks with Zambia, Focusing on Strategic Copper and Cobalt Resources
According to Reuters on September 1, India has revived talks with Zambia over investment opportunities in copper and other critical minerals, with officials from India’s Ministry of Mines holding preliminary discussions with the Zambian side on August 26. India’s state-owned overseas mineral investment platform, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL), is also evaluating a number of overseas mining projects, including opportunities in Zambia.
Indian mining industry representatives said that the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia could play an important role in meeting India’s future demand for critical minerals such as copper and cobalt. They also suggested that Indian companies prioritize projects that are already in production or close to commissioning, while securing resources through long-term offtake agreements.
As India continues to expand its new energy, battery and manufacturing supply chains, its strategic push into overseas copper and cobalt resources is accelerating. If related investments or offtake agreements are eventually finalized, they could intensify international competition for African copper and cobalt resources and potentially affect regional trade flows and the longer-term supply landscape.
