Vedanta Group has invested more than ₹21,000 crore through FY2025–26 in ongoing projects aimed at expanding metal production and capacity across aluminium, zinc, value-added alloys, copper, steel, nickel and ferrochrome.
The investments are intended to strengthen India’s domestic metals ecosystem and support the materials required for electric mobility and the wider automotive industry.
India is the world’s third-largest automobile market by production and sales. With the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) increasing, demand is expected to rise for materials used in battery cells, energy storage systems, electric motors, power electronics, semiconductor chips, charging infrastructure and lightweight vehicle components.
Vedanta said India’s demand for critical minerals and rare earth elements could increase four- to tenfold by 2047, while the country currently imports more than 80% of its critical mineral requirements.
As part of its critical minerals strategy, Vedanta has secured 10 critical mineral blocks covering copper, nickel-chromium-PGE, tungsten, graphite, vanadium, rare earth elements and potash. Exploration activities are currently underway across five of these blocks.
Focus on EV Battery and Mobility Supply Chains
Vedanta’s aluminium business is supporting automotive applications through primary foundry alloys, rolled products, billets and slabs. Vedanta Aluminium Metal Limited produced a record 2.45 million tonnes of aluminium in FY2025–26, according to the company.
The company has also developed low-carbon aluminium products, Restora and Restora Ultra, aimed at helping automotive manufacturers reduce the carbon footprint associated with their material sourcing.
Investments at Vedanta Aluminium’s BALCO facility in Chhattisgarh and its Jharsuguda operations in Odisha are focused on expanding aluminium smelting and value-added capacity. The company has also launched Copper-Doped Alloy for high-performance automotive applications and Vedanta Foundry Alloy, developed in collaboration with IIT Delhi.
Nickel is another area of focus, with Vedanta describing itself as India’s sole primary nickel producer. The metal is used in the battery materials ecosystem.
Through its subsidiary Hindustan Zinc Limited, Vedanta is also supplying materials to the electrification ecosystem. Hindustan Zinc produced 851 kt of refined zinc and 627 tonnes of saleable silver in FY2025–26. Its portfolio includes specialised automotive zinc alloys and low-carbon zinc product EcoZen.
Copper is also expected to play a key role in vehicle electrification, with EVs requiring significantly more copper than conventional vehicles. Vedanta recorded its highest-ever cathode production of 170 kt in FY2025–26 and is expanding downstream copper capacity through its Copper Rod Plant in Saudi Arabia.
Commenting on the developments, Arun Misra, CEO, Vedanta Group, said the company’s investments are aimed at strengthening domestic access to metals and critical minerals needed for vehicles, batteries and charging infrastructure.
Next-Generation Battery Technologies
Vedanta is also working on next-generation battery technologies through partnerships with IIT Madras and JNCASR, focusing on the development of sustainable zinc-based battery solutions.
Overall, the company’s investments span metal production, critical minerals and battery technologies, positioning its portfolio across multiple segments of India’s emerging electric mobility and energy storage value chains.
