Chandrababu Naidu meets Japanese envoy over rare earth mineral supplies

A Japanese delegation led by Ambassador Keiichi Ono has urged Andhra Pradesh to ensure a steady supply of rare earth minerals. Discussions with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also covered manufacturing, green ammonia, investment opportunities and skill development cooperation

Visakhapatnam: A Japanese delegation led by Ambassador Keiichi Ono has urged the Andhra Pradesh government to ensure a steady supply of rare earth minerals to Japan.

The request was made during a meeting between Ono and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, ahead of the CII Partnership Summit scheduled to be held in the city on November 12 and 13.

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“The Japanese representatives raised the issue of ensuring a steady supply of rare earth minerals to Japan. They said such cooperation would help further strengthen the India-Japan partnership in the supply of critical minerals,” an official press release from the Andhra Pradesh government said late on Wednesday.

The diplomatic outreach aligns with the TDP-led government’s push to develop the state’s coastline into a ‘Rare Earth Element Corridor’.

State Mines Minister K Ravindra had recently highlighted that 16 types of mineral reserves had been identified across more than 16,000 hectares in the state.

According to the Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corporation (APMDC), the state has the second-highest beach sand mineral reserves in India, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of the country’s total resources.

These resources have particularly high concentrations of ilmenite, rutile, zircon and monazite, the latter being a key source of rare earth elements (REEs).

Beach sand minerals are critical inputs for a range of high-value industries, from paints and aerospace components to nuclear fuel and permanent magnets used in electric vehicles and wind turbines.

Ilmenite and rutile are processed into titanium dioxide pigment and titanium metal, while monazite yields rare earth oxides essential for electronics and clean energy technologies.

Currently, India imports over 75 per cent of its titanium dioxide pigment requirements, with nearly two-thirds of the imports sourced from China, according to an official release.

Rare earth magnets are also a fast-growing opportunity, as they are crucial for motors, renewable energy systems, defence equipment and consumer electronics.

India remains heavily reliant on imports for both rare earth materials and finished magnet products, exposing manufacturers to geopolitical and supply chain shocks.

To capitalise on this opportunity, APMDC has already secured approvals for 10 major beach sand deposits across coastal districts such as Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Krishna.

In July 2026, the Andhra Pradesh government reserved an area of 12 sq km around three villages in Palnadu district for the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research, Department of Atomic Energy, to prospect for rare earth elements (REEs) and other associated critical minerals.

The visiting Japanese delegation also informed the Chief Minister that Proterial India was planning to manufacture amorphous metal in India for the first time.

The material is used in the production of high-capacity transformers. The release added that, with the industrial incentives offered by the State government, the company had drawn up plans to commence production at Sri City in December 2026.

The Japanese delegates also said that a new Global Capability Centre (GCC) would be established in Visakhapatnam this year through India-Japan cooperation, leveraging the talent of Indian professionals.

The representatives also noted that Japan-based JERA had entered into a preliminary agreement with AM Green to procure around 70,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually from Kakinada for five years.

They described the agreement as a significant step towards establishing a green ammonia supply chain between India and Japan, the release added.

During the discussions, Naidu sought support from Japanese industries to provide skill training to the state’s youth, to which the delegation responded positively.

The Chief Minister said the Andhra Pradesh government was implementing a transparent incentive policy to promote industrial investments in the state.

He stated that an escrow account mechanism had been introduced to ensure the timely disbursement of industrial incentives and implement the ‘Speed of Doing Business’ initiative, the release said.