The quantity and value of import of Lithium and Lithium-ion by India in the last three years along with source countries is given in Annexure.
Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), a constituent unit of the Department Atomic Energy (DAE), is carrying out exploration for Lithium in potential geological domains in parts of Mandya and Yadgir districts of Karnataka. Preliminary surveys on surface and limited subsurface exploration by AMD have shown presence of Lithium resources of 1,600 tonnes (inferred category) in Marlagalla area, Mandya district, Karnataka.
Further, the Geological Survey of India (GSI), an attached office of Ministry of Mines, takes up different stages of mineral exploration as per the approved annual Field Season Programme (FSP) every year viz. reconnaissance surveys (G4), preliminary exploration (G3) and general exploration (G2) following the guidelines of the United Nations Framework Classification (UNFC) and the Mineral Evidence and Mineral Content Rules (MEMC-2015). The FSP is undertaken for augmenting mineral resource for various mineral commodities including Lithium. During FSP 2016-17 to FSP 2020-21, GSI carried out 14 projects on Lithium and associated elements in Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Karnataka and Rajasthan. During the current FSP 2021-22, GSI has taken up 5 projects on Lithium and associated minerals in Arunachal Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan.
Lithium is used mainly in battery industry. The Government on 12.5.2021 approved the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for manufacturing of Advance Chemistry Cell (ACC) in the country. The total outlay of the scheme is Rs. 18,100 crores for a period of five years. The scheme envisages establishing a competitive ACC battery manufacturing set-up in the country (50 Giga Watt hour-GWh). Additionally, 5 GWh of niche ACC technologies is also covered under the scheme. The scheme proposes a production linked subsidy based on applicable subsidy per KWh and percentage of value addition achieved on actual sales made by the manufacturers who set up production units. The PLI scheme will facilitate reduction of import dependence of ACC battery.
Annexure
LITHIUM IMPORT AND PRODUCTION IN THE COUNTRY
Table 1: Total Import of Lithium (HS Code: 85065000) and Lithium-ion (HS Code: 85076000) from 2018-19 to 2020-21
(Quantity in Thousand numbers, Value in Rs. Crore)
|
Year
|
2018-19
|
2019-20
|
2020-21
|
|
Quantity
|
Value
|
Quantity
|
Value
|
Quantity
|
Value
|
|
Lithium
(HS Code: 85065000)
|
85,224
|
202
|
72,376
|
147
|
71,392
|
173
|
|
Lithium-ion
(HS Code: 85076000)
|
6,27,353
|
8,574
|
5,39,428
|
8,819
|
5,16,733
|
8,811
|
Source: Department of Commerce
Table 2: Country-wise import of Lithium (HS Code: 85065000)
(Quantity in Thousand numbers)
|
2018-19
|
2019-20
|
2020-21
|
|
Country
|
|
Quantity %Share Country
|
|
Quantity
|
|
%Share Country
|
Quantity
|
%Share
|
|
Hong Kong
|
47,248
|
55.44
|
Hong Kong
|
38,547
|
53.26
|
Hong Kong
|
26,641
|
37.32
|
|
China
|
16,868
|
19.79
|
China
|
14,988
|
20.71
|
China
|
22,881
|
32.05
|
|
Indonesia
|
11,276
|
13.23
|
Indonesia
|
9,063
|
12.52
|
Indonesia
|
6,689
|
9.37
|
|
Singapore
|
4,929
|
5.78
|
Singapore
|
5,077
|
7.02
|
Singapore
|
5,849
|
8.19
|
|
Korea RP
|
3,257
|
3.82
|
Korea RP
|
2,780
|
3.84
|
Japan
|
5,090
|
7.13
|
|
Japan
|
1,134
|
1.33
|
Japan
|
1,512
|
2.09
|
Korea RP
|
3,180
|
4.45
|
|
Israel
|
186
|
0.22
|
Israel
|
144
|
0.20
|
Thailand
|
337
|
0.47
|
|
USA
|
84
|
0.10
|
USA
|
85
|
0.12
|
Germany
|
243
|
0.34
|
|
Malaysia
|
70
|
0.08
|
Germany
|
72
|
0.10
|
USA
|
155
|
0.22
|
|
Taiwan
|
42
|
0.05
|
Taiwan
|
61
|
0.08
|
Israel
|
126
|
0.18
|
|
Others (26 Countries)
|
130
|
0.15
|
Others (25
Countries)
|
48
|
0.07
|
Others (23 Countries)
|
202
|
0.28
|
|
Total
|
85,224
|
100
|
Total
|
72,376
|
100
|
Total
|
71,392
|
100
|
Source: Department of Commerce
Table 3: Country-wise import of Lithium-ion (HS Code: 85076000)
(Quantity in Thousand numbers)
|
2018-19
|
2019-20
|
2020-21
|
|
Country
|
Quantity %Share
|
|
Country
|
Quantity
|
%Share
|
Country
|
Quantity
|
%Share
|
|
China
|
5,08,415
|
81.04
|
China
|
3,67,717
|
68.17
|
China
|
3,75,831
|
72.73
|
|
Hong Kong
|
94,750
|
15.10
|
Hong Kong
|
1,37,473
|
25.48
|
Hong Kong
|
1,21,335
|
23.48
|
|
Vietnam
|
19,378
|
3.09
|
Vietnam
|
19,797
|
3.67
|
Vietnam
|
12,852
|
2.49
|
|
Malaysia
|
1,722
|
0.27
|
Malaysia
|
4,260
|
0.79
|
Malaysia
|
1,769
|
0.34
|
|
Korea RP
|
1,192
|
0.19
|
Korea RP
|
2,823
|
0.52
|
Singapore
|
1,708
|
0.33
|
|
USA
|
361
|
0.06
|
Singapore
|
2,779
|
0.52
|
Korea RP
|
1,405
|
0.27
|
|
Taiwan
|
359
|
0.06
|
Thailand
|
1,484
|
0.28
|
Japan
|
551
|
0.11
|
|
Singapore
|
296
|
0.05
|
Indonesia
|
1,090
|
0.20
|
U S A
|
389
|
0.08
|
|
Sri Lanka
|
211
|
0.03
|
Japan
|
895
|
0.17
|
Indonesia
|
349
|
0.07
|
|
UAE
|
185
|
0.03
|
Taiwan
|
528
|
0.10
|
Taiwan
|
195
|
0.04
|
|
Others (35 Countries)
|
483
|
0.08
|
Others (29 Countries)
|
583
|
0.11
|
Others (30 Countries)
|
350
|
0.07
|
|
Total
|
6,27,353
|
100
|
Total
|
5,39,427
|
100
|
Total
|
5,16,733
|
100
|
Source: Department of Commerce
This information was given by the Union Minister of Coal, Mines and Parliamentary Affairs Shri PralhadJoshi in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.
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MV/AKN/RKP