Economy · 19 Aug 2026

KABIL lithium acquisition

Which one of the following pairs, relating to KABIL's overseas mineral acquisition efforts, is correctly matched?

AArgentina (Catamarca lithium brine blocks) - Successfully acquired by KABIL in January 2024
BAustralia (Mt Marion and Wodgina stakes) - Acquired by a KABIL-led PSU consortium
CChile (lithium brine block) - Successfully secured by KABIL ahead of the bid deadline
DKABIL - A joint venture incorporated under the Ministry of Coal
This question is based on: The $532 Million Gap That Cost India a Lithium Mine
Take this in full test mode → Instructions for 19 Aug 2026
About this question

Why in news

A Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel report, tabled August 12, 2026, exposed the financial constraints hampering KABIL's flagship critical minerals acquisition strategy at a time when securing lithium is central to India's EV and clean energy ambitions.

Why for UPSC

UPSC often tests whether aspirants can distinguish a genuine success from a widely-reported failure within the same current-affairs entity, rather than assuming positive coverage means a positive outcome - exactly the trap this question is built to expose.

Prelims summary

KABIL (NALCO, Hindustan Copper, MECL; Ministry of Mines) succeeded in acquiring Argentina's Catamarca lithium blocks in 2024 but lost the Australia bid to POSCO and missed the Chile bid deadline entirely.

On web, answers are shown once after a test — no save or reattempt. For unlimited reattempts, Hindi medium, and Mentor Observations, use the TAN App.