Jamshedpur, July 2 -- India's path to strategic autonomy will depend heavily on securing access to critical materials, observed Dr V.K. Saraswat, Member of NITI Aayog and Padma Bhushan awardee, during a lecture at the CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory (CSIR-NML) today.
The address formed part of NML's Platinum Jubilee lecture series, commemorating 75 years since
its founding in 1950.
Delivering a keynote on "Critical Materials for India's Strategic Future," Dr Saraswat emphasised the growing strategic significance of rare and essential materials used in clean energy technologies, defence applications, and emerging sectors.
"These materials are no longer just industrial commodities-they have become foundational to national securit...