By R. Ravichandran is a senior journalist and columnist.
In today’s world, economic security is inseparable from national security. Countries are not considered strong only based on their military power but are now expected to be self-reliant in terms of securing crucial resources.
Leading economies are racing to obtain critical minerals that power their industries of today and the future. Copper stands at the centre of this global transition. From electric vehicles and solar infrastructure to transmission networks and defence manufacturing, copper has quietly become the very bloodstream of the clean energy era.
India’s ambitions too are deeply dependent on the significant role of copper. The nation was once a net exporter of copper. However, the situation is such that today it relies on copper imports to meet its domestic demand.
Geopolitical tensions are redrawing trade routes, and global supply chains are becoming increasingly uncertain. In a time like this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks in Secunderabad hold great significance as they reflect a larger concern about India’s economic resilience.
Prime Minister Modi has highlighted this growing contradiction. He emphasized how protests have led to domestic copper plants being shut down over the years. This has compelled India to spend its valuable foreign exchange reserves on imports. The prime minister made an appeal that was more of a call to view industrial capacity as a strategic aspect of India’s journey towards self-reliance.
To comprehend the gravity of his message, it must be understood that recently in the FY 2023-24, India has imported around 363 thousand tonnes of refined copper cathodes for an estimated amount of over ₹24,500 crore. Meanwhile, demand is expected to accelerate. Various projections predict that India’s copper requirement is expected to rise drastically in the coming years as renewable energy adoption gathers pace.
India cannot afford to remain vulnerable to external supply disruptions.
There is another reality beyond economic charts that often goes unnoticed. When industrial ecosystems weaken in any way, the impact never remains confined within just the factory walls. Entire local economies gradually slow down alongside them. Families that depend on a thriving ecosystem have to quietly adapt to uncertainty. Thoothukudi stands as one of the clearest examples of such economic disruption.
This is precisely why the discussion around domestic industrial revival cannot be reduced to binaries. The closure of the Sterlite Copper plant in Thoothukudi significantly altered India’s copper production landscape. Before its shutdown, the plant contributed nearly 36% of the country’s copper output.
Its absence has led to an increase in India’s dependence on imports at a time when global supply chains are facing growing uncertainty.
In such a scenario, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s message deserves serious consideration. His remarks were about safeguarding India’s long-term economic and strategic interests. At a moment when the world is witnessing heightened instability, India’s greatest strength continues to be its ability to stand united in the face of challenges.
National priorities must rise above differences, especially when securing self-reliance has become more important than ever.
Restarting the Sterlite Copper plant through environmentally responsible and transparent frameworks will undoubtedly contribute to India’s long-term strategic interests. Resuming operations in the facility through the implementation of the green copper framework is a viable solution as it is centered on a hybrid production model. This model will demonstrate how sustainable industrial development and national self-reliance can move forward together.
