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India's Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed a tax holiday until 2047 for foreign data centre developers, aiming to boost cloud services and critical mineral demand. While the data centre sector supports this move, it raises concerns about infrastructure and mineral availability.

Data centres require essential minerals like copper, aluminium, and silicon, which are currently in short supply, with India heavily reliant on imports. The government initiated Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) to secure overseas supplies of critical minerals.

Industry leaders, including Vedanta and Hindalco, are investing in expanding copper and aluminium production to meet growing demands. Vedanta has secured 11 critical mineral blocks and plans a $2 billion smelter in Saudi Arabia. Hindustan Copper aims to triple its production and has partnered with Chile's CODELCO to enhance global supply capabilities.