Indian Company Talking with Kabul to Tap into Afghanistan’s Hidden Treasure

DID Press: Indian company Deccan Gold Mines Ltd has held negotiations over the past 12–18 months with Afghan authorities and entrepreneurs to explore mineral opportunities in Afghanistan, including lithium, rare‑earth elements, and gold, said Managing Director Hanuma Prasad, citing Afghanistan’s “very, very good” mining potential.

According to Prasad, however, progress has been slow. The lack of functioning banking channels for money transfers and unclear regulatory pathways for mining permits remain major obstacles.

An Afghan delegation on 24 November offered long‑dormant mining sites to Indian firms in a bid to revive the sector and generate employment — a move welcomed by Deccan Gold but still subject to rigorous geological evaluation and regulatory clarity, as noted by the Indian industry body ASSOCHAM.

For India — heavily reliant on imports for rare earth minerals — early access to Afghanistan’s resources promises a strategic win. The company stated that developing supply from abroad would help reduce dependency on global sources, particularly amid rising demand for lithium and rare earths in technologies and clean‑energy sectors.