Minerals are naturally occurring substances with definite chemical composition, while ores are mineral-rich rocks extracted for commercial use. India is richly endowed with a wide variety of mineral resources distributed across different geological regions, including metallic, non-metallic, and energy minerals.

Iron ore is the most important ferrous mineral, primarily used for steel production (98%). India is rich in iron ore deposits, with Odisha being the largest producer, followed by Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

Manganese is a vital ferroalloy metal used in steelmaking, batteries, and chemicals, while Copper is a key non-ferrous metal widely used in electrical works, alloys, and industry. India is a major producer of both, with Madhya Pradesh leading in manganese and copper production.

Bauxite is the principal ore of aluminium, used in industries from aircraft to packaging, while Gold is a precious metal valued for jewelry, reserves, and industrial uses. Odisha leads in bauxite production and Karnataka is the largest gold producer in India.

Diamonds, the hardest naturally occurring substances, serve both ornamental and industrial purposes, while Silver is a versatile precious metal crucial for ornaments, mirrors, electronics, batteries, and cloud seeding. India’s key diamond deposits are in Panna (Madhya Pradesh), while Rajasthan leads in silver production.

Non-metallic minerals are essential for construction, fertilizer, ceramic, chemical, electrical, and refractory industries. India is rich in mica, limestone, gypsum, dolomite, graphite, kaolin, and other minerals spread across peninsular and Himalayan states.

Atomic minerals like Uranium, Thorium, Beryllium, and Lithium are vital for nuclear energy, defense, and high-tech industries. India possesses rich reserves of thorium along coastal sands and significant uranium deposits in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh.

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are a group of 17 elements critical for electronics, defense, renewable energy, and advanced technologies. While China dominates global supply, India has rich reserves in beach sand minerals such as monazite and ilmenite.

India’s energy resources are divided into conventional (coal, petroleum, natural gas, hydropower) and non-conventional (solar, wind, tidal, geothermal, biogas). Coal continues to dominate India’s energy mix, contributing around 44% of total energy consumption (2020).

India is the second-largest coal producer after China. Around 75% of the country’s coal production comes from Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh. Coal reserves are mainly divided into Gondwana coal (older deposits) and Tertiary coal (younger deposits), along with significant lignite deposits in southern and western India.

Petroleum is an inflammable liquid composed of 90-95% hydrocarbons and 5% organic compounds. In India, petroleum occurs naturally as crude oil in onshore and offshore oilfields. Assam hosts the oldest oil field (Digboi), while Mumbai High remains the largest offshore field.

Natural gas is a fossil fuel mainly composed of methane, found both offshore and onshore in India. Offshore production accounts for more than two-thirds of India’s total gas output, while coal bed methane (CBM) is emerging as an alternative source.

Hydroelectricity is a renewable energy source that generates electricity using the kinetic energy of flowing water. India’s hydropower potential is estimated at 145 GW, but as of March 2022, only 46.2 GW has been harnessed (~11.7% of total electricity generation).

India is investing in non-conventional energy sources like shale gas and nuclear power to diversify its energy mix. Shale gas reserves are identified in multiple sedimentary basins, while nuclear power contributes to clean electricity production with ongoing expansion projects.

India is rapidly scaling up non-conventional energy sources like solar, wind, and tidal energy to meet its renewable targets. Solar power leads the growth, followed by significant wind energy installations, while tidal energy remains in the R&D stage.

Biogas and geothermal energy are important non-conventional renewable energy sources in India. Biogas plants help manage organic waste while producing clean fuel, whereas geothermal energy harnesses Earth’s internal heat, with potential capacity estimated at 10 GW.

The manufacturing sector is the backbone of India’s industrial growth, contributing around 16–17% to GDP and generating large-scale employment. It boosts agriculture, trade, commerce, and innovation while absorbing surplus labor in labour-intensive industries.

The location of industries is influenced by raw materials, power, climate, labour, market, transport, and finance. Special categories of industries like Footloose, Sunrise, and Weighloose industries depend on unique locational dynamics. Agro-based industries, like the cotton industry, rely heavily on raw material and climatic conditions.

Cotton and jute are the two most important agro-based textile industries in India. Cotton textiles dominate with Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Tamil Nadu as leading centers, while jute is concentrated in West Bengal along the Hugli River basin, earning the name 'Golden Fibre Industry'.

The sugar industry is the second-largest agro-based industry in India after textiles. India is the world’s second-largest producer of sugar after Brazil. The industry is concentrated in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Major by-products include bagasse, molasses, and press mud.

India is the largest consumer of tea and one of the largest producers of both tea and coffee. Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala account for about 95% of tea production, while Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu together contribute nearly all of India’s coffee output.

Food processing refers to converting raw edible ingredients into consumable food items or adding value to existing foods. Its objectives are to enhance shelf-life, ensure food safety, and add economic value. Maharashtra is the leading state, while coastal states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, and West Bengal dominate the sector.

The paper industry in India is a forest-based, weight-losing industry located near raw material sources like bamboo, wood pulp, and bagasse. West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, and Odisha are the major hubs.

The automobile industry in India is one of the largest in the world, driven by cheap skilled labour, low steel cost, and strong R&D. It is closely linked with the iron and steel industry for raw materials, and is concentrated in states like Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Gujarat, and Karnataka.

The iron and steel industry is the backbone of India's industrialisation. The first pig iron plant was set up in 1874 at Kulti, and TISCO was established in 1907 at Jamshedpur. Major steel plants include TISCO, IISCO, VISL, Rourkela, Bhilai, Durgapur, Bokaro, and Salem, each located strategically near raw material sources, power, water, labour, and transport.

India is the 2nd largest cement producer in the world, contributing over 7% of global installed capacity. Cement production capacity reached about 545 million tonnes in FY22. The industry is raw-material oriented and largely depends on limestone deposits.

India ranks 2nd in the world in production of nitrogenous fertilizers and 3rd in phosphatic fertilizers. The petrochemical industry, derived from petroleum, forms a major part of the organic chemical industry, producing plastics, synthetic fibers, rubber, and pharmaceuticals.

Cottage industries are small, mostly family-run units that provide livelihoods and fulfill household needs. Major industrial regions of India are clustered based on raw material, power, labor, and market availability.