<h1>Exploration licence auction: exclusive private exploration for critical minerals under amended MMDR framework enabling private-led targeted exploration.</h1> India launched an auction-based regime to grant exclusive Exploration Licences for designated critical mineral blocks, implementing an amendment to the MMDR Act to create a formal legal pathway for private-sector exploration. The framework confers exclusive exploration rights to private companies for defined areas, pairs commercial incentives with state-shared exploration risk where no discovery occurs, and emphasizes transparency, efficiency and technology-driven targeting supported by promotional measures including roadshows and an AI mineral-targeting hackathon.