India, March 3 -- The removal of customs duty on copper scrap in the Union Budget 2025-26 marks a significant step toward facilitating a seamless inflow of scraps, bolstering domestic recyclers and the wider copper industry. Additionally, the allocation of Rs.1,500 crore for critical mineral recycling, as outlined in the recently launched National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM), underscores the government's commitment to fostering a circular economy and reducing dependence on refined copper using extracted copper ore.

Copper, being the cross-cutting critical mineral, is crucial not only for renewable technologies like wind, solar, storage batteries, and electric vehicles but also indispensable in conventional applications, including pow...