India’s Rare Earth Industry and its impact on International Market

The study explores India’s rare earth industry and its evolving role in the international market, emphasizing the strategic importance of “rare earth elements” (REEs) in sectors like defense, electronics, renewable energy, and digital infrastructure. Despite possessing the fifth-largest global reserves of REEs, India subsidizes less than 1% to global production due to limited downstream infrastructure, regulatory restrictions, and technological constraints. The study adopts a quantitative research methodology with a descriptive and analytical research design. Secondary data was utilized, and statistical tools such as MS Excel and SPSS were employed for data analysis, using techniques like mean, standard deviation, correlation, and trend analysis. The findings indicate that although India has significant geological potential—particularly in monazite-rich coastal sands—policy and infrastructural limitations hinder its competitiveness in the global market. The study suggests that a combination of public-private collaboration, technological investment, and regulatory reform is essential for transforming India’s rare earth sector into a globally competitive industry. The study contributes to strategic resource planning by identifying pathways for India to reduce dependence on imports and emerge as a key player in the international rare earth supply chain.