India Ranks Third in Rare Earth Reserves but Lags in Global Production

India ranks third globally in rare earth reserves with about 6–7% of global resources, but contributes less than 1% of global production, revealing a major strategic gap.
This mismatch is caused by regulatory hurdles, radioactive monazite-linked constraints, limited mining and refining capacity, and weak value-chain integration. While China dominates over 90% of global refining and leads production, India’s output remains minimal despite its resource strength.
A small Japan-linked joint venture marks progress, but the scale is still limited. Overall, the issue is not resource availability, but execution, impacting clean energy, critical minerals, and national security.

India’s Position

• Reserves: Third globally, behind China and Brazil, with approximately 6-7% of the world’s total.
• Production (2024): About 2,900 tonnes, a tiny fraction of the world’s supply, placing it seventh behind China, the US, Myanmar, Australia, Thailand, and Nigeria.

Key data

• India: 6.9 million tonnes of rare earth oxide (REO)
• China: 44 million tonnes
• Brazil: 21 million tonnes