India to send teams to Chile seeking lithium and copper assets, source says

India will send two delegations next month to Chile to scout for lithium and copper resources, a government source said, as rapid economic expansion and New Delhi's efforts to speed up the energy transition stoke demand for critical minerals. As part of India's drive to explore overseas for mineral assets, state firms National Aluminium Company, Hindustan Copper and unlisted Mineral Exploration and Consultancy have set up a company called Khanij Bidesh India. KABIL, which is currently setting up an office in Argentina, is also in talks with another company in the Latin American country for lithium exploration, the source said. At the same time, KABIL is talking to the Australian government to help appoint a consultant to restart due diligence that would pave the way for a lithium block acquisition in the country, the source said.