India has made significant strides in identifying and securing resources vital for its economic and technological advancement, according to recent updates shared in Parliament. These updates encompass the discovery of substantial rare earth element reserves and progress in infrastructure development, alongside some concerns about the pace of national highway construction.
One of the most significant announcements is the confirmation of 8.52 million tonnes of in-situ Rare Earth Elements Oxide (REO) resources across multiple states. This surpasses earlier estimates and strengthens India's position in the global rare earth supply chain, particularly at a time when international demand is growing and supply chains are facing constraints. Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh informed the Lok Sabha that the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD) has estimated approximately 7.23 MT of REO within 13.15 MT of monazite deposits. These deposits are located in coastal beach, teri/red sand, and inland alluvial zones across Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Further exploration has revealed an additional 1.29 MT of REO in hard rock terrains in Gujarat and Rajasthan, diversifying India's mineral resource base. The Geological Survey of India (GSI) has also reported the augmentation of 482.6 MT of REE ore across 34 exploration projects. With China imposing export restrictions on rare earth elements, this discovery is strategically crucial. These minerals are essential for various applications, including permanent magnets, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, and defense technologies. The government has established an inter-ministerial committee to facilitate domestic extraction and processing of these newly identified deposits. To reduce dependence on external sources, the Union Cabinet approved the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) with an outlay of ₹16,300 crore. This mission aims to strengthen India's end-to-end critical minerals value chain, from exploration and mining to processing, recycling, and reuse.
However, not all infrastructure updates were positive. The pace of National Highways construction in India slowed to 29 km/day in the last fiscal year, as Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the Rajya Sabha. This is a decrease from the 34 km/day achieved during 2023-24. The highest-ever pace was recorded in 2020-21, reaching 37 km per day. The slowdown could be attributed to various factors, including monsoons, the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, delays in land acquisition, financial issues, and delays in payments to contractors. Despite the reduced pace, the government remains committed to infrastructure development, with Gadkari stating that the Centre is committed to implementing projects worth ₹2 lakh crore in Jharkhand. The Union government has also approved an annual plan of ₹3,667 crore for road and infrastructure development in Himachal Pradesh for the financial year 2024-25.
In other infrastructure-related updates, the government shared progress on key projects aimed at boosting multimodal connectivity. The National Planning Group (NPG) reviewed five key infrastructure projects from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA). These projects include the Dwarka Tunnel in Delhi, the Patna–Purnia Expressway in Bihar, and the Suratgarh–Sri Ganganagar NH-62 Upgradation in Rajasthan. These projects are expected to improve logistics efficiency, reduce travel times, and provide long-term socio-economic benefits across the respective regions. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stated that ₹29,353 crore has been spent to upgrade railway infrastructure in Bihar. Fifty-two railway projects worth ₹86,107 crore have been sanctioned for Bihar, including 31 new lines, one-gauge conversion, and 20 doubling projects.
Furthermore, India's flagship human spaceflight programme, Gaganyaan, has achieved several key technological milestones. Union Minister of State for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh informed Parliament that critical components such as the human-rated launch vehicle (HLVM3) and crew escape system (CES) have been successfully developed and tested. India is also progressing towards establishing the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) by 2035 and an Indian Moon landing by 2040.
While significant strides are being made in infrastructure development, challenges remain. The need for institutional reform, public transparency, and a commitment to maintenance is crucial to ensure the quality and longevity of infrastructure projects. Road accidents on National Highways resulted in 26,770 fatalities in the first six months of 2025, highlighting the importance of implementing Advanced Traffic Management Systems to improve road safety.
