Need to step up refining capacity: Anand Mahindra on lithium reserve in Raj

Leading industrialist Anand Mahindra on Tuesday hailed the discovery of lithium reserves in Rajasthan and called for quickly stepping up to install refining capacity of the crucial mineral in the country.

In a tweet, he noted that China already has a lead when it comes to refining capacity.

"Finally. We have sizeable reserves of a natural resource critical for growth in the 21st century. A signal that India has an 'electrifying future.' But the key element in the supply chain is refining, not reserves, where China has a huge lead. We need to step up quickly to install that capacity," Mahindra tweeted.

According to various reports, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has found another reserve of lithium in Degana in Rajasthan's Nagaur district.

Lithium is primarily used to produce rechargeable batteries, especially those used in electric vehicles and portable electronic devices, among others.

Earlier, lithium reserves were also found in Jammu and Kashmir.