2460 mining companies. In the Sterlite Copper case, the Environmental Clearance (EC) was issued in 1995 to Sterlite Copper without a public hearing or a cumulative impact assessment, which invalidated subsequent consent granted by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB). Operations commenced in 1997 despite the invalid clearances obtained, despite repeated violations, including two gas leaks (1997, 2013), hazardous emissions, and copper slag dumping across 11 sites (Vedanta Limited v The State of Tamil Nadu & Ors, 2024). It took mass protests and the death of 13 demonstrators, protesting unsanctioned plant capacity expansion, for the Madras High Court and TNPCB to order the permanent closure of the Sterlite copper plant. Improper implementation of existing policies and the lack of accountability by both private and government bodies have resulted in increased harm to the environment and communities. India requires a framework that imposes obligations on both regulators and industry to implement and uphold the principles of responsible value chains. The proposed framework is based on five pillars that address the key challenges faced by stakeholders across India's mineral value chains (Figure 1). These pillars draw on the 10 principles of ICMM, which have been globally recognised for their role in initiating an industry-driven effort towards responsible mining (ICMM, 2026). Each pillar has three focus areas identified through interviews with government officials, site visits to mines and processing plants, and focused group discussions with communities. These focus areas may change over time as stakeholders' concerns shift due to developments in domestic policies, increased mineral demand, and global supply chain shocks. Figure 1 – Structure of the proposed framework Pillar 1: Resource Allocation Land Allocation The method adopted for land allocation for mining and processing is a leading cause of conflict in India. The Land Conflict Watch has reported that, as of December 2025, 45 ongoing conflicts in the nonfuels minerals sector in India are due to land disputes between communities and companies. Such conflicts have affected 347,184 people across the country for mining projects with a total investment of INR 69,496 crore ($7.6 billion). Discrepancies in land records, limited digitisation, and information asymmetry within affected communities have led to a rise in land-related conflicts in mining regions. Mining leases have been allocated on lands where communities have been living for decades, but, due to the absence of land records, they are not eligible for rehabilitation benefits, leading to the declaration of such settlements as illegal encroachments. Resource Allocation Land Allocation Free, Prior and Informed Consent Rehabilitatio n Environmental Sustainability Air Pollution Water Contaminatio n Biodiversity Community Benifit Sharing DMF Efficency CSR Efforts Community Health and Safety Combating Silicosis Health Impact Assessment Externalitise of Ore Transport Monitoring and Regulation Post-Lease Clearance Project Monitoring Mine Closure
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