Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri KishanReddy, Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and senior officials of the Ministryof Mines held a meeting with Argentine Catamarca Governor, Raúl Alejandro Halilin New Delhi recently to enhance cooperation in the mining sector, especiallyin lithium exploration and other investment opportunities.

The highlight of the meeting was the Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) between Mineral Exploration and Consultancy Limited (MECL),a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Mines, and the provincialgovernment of Catamarca, Argentina. The agreement will pave the way for deeper cooperationin the exploration and development of viable minerals.

The collaboration is expected to acceleratelithium exploration projects, enhance resource security, and create newopportunities for Indian companies in the mining sector in Latin America.

Argentina, which is part of the Lithium Triangledue to its large reserves of lithium, is an important partner of India inensuring the supply of minerals required for storage for electric vehicle batteriesand renewable energy. The ongoing efforts to explore lithium by Khanij BideshIndia Limited (KABIL) and Greenco in Catamarca as well as the possibility ofincreased participation of Indian companies in Argentine mining projects werealso discussed. The two sides also explored the possibility of investmentavenues, long-term supply agreements and joint ventures that would helpstrengthen India's supply of this important mineral.