The Ministry of Mines (MoM), on July 16, 2026, issued the Overseas Mineral Exploration Promotion Guidelines (OMEPG) to encourage Indian public and private sector entities to undertake mineral exploration in overseas jurisdictions. The initiative aims to secure long-term supplies of critical and strategic minerals, reduce import dependence, and ensure that minerals discovered through government-supported exploration are made available to meet India's domestic requirement.
The Guidelines establish an institutional framework under which the National Mineral Exploration and Development Trust (NMEDT) will provide financial support through one or more Designated Agencies (DAs), which will leverage NMEDT seed capital to raise additional debt and equity from global capital markets. They prescribe eligibility criteria for Designated Agencies and Exploration Agencies, define the scope of critical minerals covered, and require beneficiary agencies to comply with a binding "bring-back obligation" to ensure the availability of discovered mineral resources for India.
The Guidelines also provide for the creation of an Overseas Mineral Exploration Fund (OMEF), with financial assistance to eligible exploration projects disbursed in milestone-based tranches after technical evaluation by reputed independent international mining consultants. The quantum of support will be determined on a case-by-case basis, subject to fund availability and project viability, with the objective of strengthening India's long-term critical mineral security through a sustainable and leveraged financing mechanism.
[F. No. 143/1/2026-NMEDT/407]
