Securing India's Copper Supply

This policy brief outlines the necessity for India to develop a comprehensive copper strategy to support its infrastructure growth and clean energy transition, focusing on supply diversification, trade reforms, and the promotion of a circular economy through scrap recycling.

• India's demand for copper is projected to double by the end of the current decade, driven by infrastructure development and the clean energy transition, including technologies like electric vehicles, wind turbines, and solar panels.
• To secure primary copper supplies amid geopolitical risks, India should pursue strategic partnerships with supplier countries including Australia, Chile, Peru, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, while simultaneously promoting domestic sustainable mining and exploration.
• The document recommends trade reforms to enhance domestic value addition, specifically suggesting an assessment of trade agreements, the potential extension of countervailing duties expiring in 2025, and a review of custom duties on copper concentrate and ore to support the refining and smelting industry.
• To foster a circular economy, the brief proposes rationalizing the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on copper scrap—either by lowering the rate or using the Reverse Charge Mechanism—to encourage tax compliance and formalize the unorganized scrap sector.
• The brief suggests providing capital or production-linked incentives to domestic copper fabricators, refiners, and smelters, provided these incentives are tied to circularity, copper quality standards, and material efficiency targets.

APA

Moerenhout,, S. R. (2024). Securing India's Copper Supply. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/securing-india-copper-supply

Chicago

Moerenhout,, Swasti Raizada,Tom. Securing India's Copper Supply. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2024. https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/securing-india-copper-supply.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Moerenhout, |first1=Swasti Raizada,Tom |title=Securing India's Copper Supply |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=2 July 2024 |url=https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/securing-india-copper-supply |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{moerenhout2024securing, author = {Moerenhout,, Swasti Raizada,Tom}, title = {{Securing India's Copper Supply}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2024}, month = jul, url = {https://www.iisd.org/publications/report/securing-india-copper-supply}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }