It is the fuel that nature provided underground that took the Gulf countries to the peak of prosperity. Some predict that they will become obsolete when natural resources are exhausted. But that is not true. They have opened up huge possibilities for tourism and other things with this fuel money. The city of the future is in the making in Saudi Arabia. A large percentage of the world's population will travel to see the $500 billion city. The lesson is that if the abundance of natural resources is used wisely, it will open up other economic possibilities that will last for centuries.

As much as petrol, diesel, and fuels are needed for vehicles, etc., in the coming days, vehicles will need lithium batteries more than that. By the end of 2030, vehicles running on petrol and diesel will start leaving Indian roads. Not only in India but it is going to happen all over the world. In this situation where the demand for lithium is increasing worldwide, the discovery of 59 lakh tonnes of lithium deposits in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir is a big event that should bring joy to every Indian. Earlier lithium deposits were discovered in Karnataka but the level of deposits was very low. Finding massive lithium deposits is rare. That is what the Geological Survey Department has found in Jammu.

All the signs that there will be a boom in electric vehicles in the country in the coming years have already started to be seen. Even the number of electric buses is increasing day by day. In 2022, four times as many electric vehicles were launched as in 2021. Lithium is the main component in rechargeable batteries used in electric vehicles, solar panels, mobile phones, laptops, etc.

Vehicles powered by lithium batteries do not pollute the environment. If the reserves found in Jammu are properly mined, India can make huge fortunes from lithium exports after its own consumption, just as the Gulf countries earn foreign exchange from petroleum. Lithium deposits are mainly found in countries like Chile, Australia, and China.US car maker Tesla has signed an agreement with China to buy lithium for three years. India currently imports lithium from countries like China, Japan, and Vietnam. India is the second largest importer of lithium in the world. The United States is the largest importer. If the lithium deposits are mined, used for industrial purposes, and exported, the prediction that India will become one of the world's economic powers by the middle of this century will come true.