India Eyes Russian Siberian Rare Earth Deposits to Secure Supply Chain

India is aggressively diversifying its critical mineral supply chains by entering discussions to source rare earth samples from the massive Tomtor deposit in Siberia. This strategic move, led by state miner IREL, aims to reduce dependency on China while fueling India's growing domestic demand for high-tech manufacturing.

Strategic Engagement with Russia’s Tomtor Deposit

In a significant move to secure long-term mineral security, India’s state-owned IREL (India Iridium Limited), which operates under the Department of Atomic Energy, is in talks with the Russian oil major Rosneft. The discussions focus on obtaining mineral samples from the Tomtor deposit located in Yakutia, Siberia. Rosneft acquired rights to this site last year, and it is currently regarded as one of the world’s largest undeveloped rare earth deposits.

According to reports, these high-level discussions are being routed through official government channels. The proposed process involves Russia processing the mineral samples before they are shipped to India for detailed analysis. India’s immediate priority is to study the specific mineral composition of the Tomtor site before committing to any deeper commercial or long-term engagements.

Reducing Reliance on China and Boosting Domestic Capacity

The push for Siberian minerals comes at a time when India is seeking to insulate its technology and defense sectors from geopolitical risks, particularly the dominance of China in the rare earth market. Rare earth elements are indispensable for the production of electric vehicle (EV) motors, advanced defense systems, and clean energy technologies.

While India holds the world’s third-largest rare earth reserves—estimated at approximately 7.23 million metric tons—the country currently faces a gap in large-scale refining capacity for high-purity separation. To bridge this, the Indian government has approved a ₹73 billion ($770.77 million) programme specifically designed to boost domestic rare earth magnet production. The ultimate goal is to have domestic magnet production operational by the 2029–30 period.

A Multi-Pronged Global Sourcing Strategy

Indien beschränkt seine Suche nicht nur auf Russland; stattdessen verfolgt es eine diversifizierte „Plus-Eins“-Strategie, um die Souveränität über seine Mineralien sicherzustellen. IREL führt derzeit Parallelgespräche mit Unternehmen in Japan und Südkorea, um internationale Expertise zu nutzen.

Darüber hinaus prüft Indien aktiv Bergbauprospekte in mehreren anderen Ländern, darunter Australien, Argentinien, Malawi und Myanmar. Indem Indien seine Interessen über mehrere Kontinente und geopolitische Blöcke verteilt, baut es ein widerstandsfähiges Ökosystem auf, um den Übergang zu einer grünen Wirtschaft und hochtechnologischer industrieller Unabhängigkeit zu unterstützen.

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