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India Can Use J&K Lithium Reserve and Become Top EV Manufacturer: Nitin Gadkari

The G3 study of the GSI shows the presence of best quality lithium in abundant quantity in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.

March 27, 2023. By Anurima Mondal

Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari recently announced that India has the potential to become the world's number one automobile manufacturer in the electric vehicle segment if it uses the reserve of lithium in Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a conference recently organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Nitin Gadkari further highlighted that electric buses are the future and public transport should be encouraged.

Earlier this year, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) established 5.9 million tonnes of inferred resources of lithium in Salal-Haimana area of Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. Apparently, lithium reserves have been found in India for the first time. Lithium happens to be a crucial element in producing batteries that power electric vehicles.

Talking about the reserves, the minister said, "Every year, we import 1,200 tonnes of lithium. Now, in Jammu and Kashmir, we got lithium. If we can use this lithium-ion, we will be the number one automobile manufacturing country in the world."

India has become the third largest vehicle market in 2022 after China and the USA. Currently, the country’s automobile industry is worth INR 7.5 lakh crore, and the sector's contribution to the overall GST revenue is maximum.

Nitin Gadkari asked industry leaders to invest in vehicle scrapping and emphasised the need of reducing logistics costs from 16 percent of GDP to single digit by 2024.

Tags:

Sustainable Transport

Electric vehicles in india

Nitin Gadkari

Lithium reserves

Electric Vehicles