Correct Option (C):
Statement 1 is correct. India joined the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) in June 2023, becoming its 14th member. The MSP is a US-led initiative comprising several countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, and EU members, aimed at ensuring secure, sustainable, and responsible global supply chains for critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
Statement 3 is correct. The Parliament passed the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2023, which amended the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957. This amendment empowers the Central Government to exclusively auction mining leases and composite licenses for certain critical and strategic minerals listed in Part D of the First Schedule to the Act.
Incorrect Options:
Statement 2 is incorrect. The Ministry of Mines identified 30 critical minerals in November 2022. However, India is not resource-rich in all of these minerals. The country has limited or no known domestic reserves for several critical minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and vanadium, making it heavily dependent on imports for these resources. Therefore, the assertion that India is resource-rich in all 30 identified critical minerals is factually incorrect.