Bharat Aluminium Company (Balco), a subsidiary of Vedanta Aluminium, has achieved a landmark breakthrough in India’s aluminium industry by producing the first metal from the nation’s largest 525 kilo Ampere (kA) smelter at its Korba plant in Chhattisgarh.
This achievement, which forms part of Balco’s ongoing one million tonne per annum (MTPA) expansion project, establishes a new benchmark in aluminium smelting technology and underscores India’s progress towards industrial self-reliance.
In a statement, the company said that the 525 kA smelter represents a significant leap in scale and efficiency, surpassing the previous Indian benchmark of 378 kA. The facility incorporates cutting-edge technology, advanced automation, and global engineering collaborations to ensure world-class production standards.
“With our entry into the Million Tonne Club, Balco is scripting a new chapter in India’s journey of self-reliance,” said Rajesh Kumar, Chief Executive Officer and Director, Balco. “Through this expansion, we are not only boosting domestic capacity but also generating new avenues of employment, spurring allied industries, and driving economic growth in Chhattisgarh and beyond.”
With the commissioning of its new 0.435 MTPA potline, Balco’s total aluminium production capacity will now touch 1 MTPA, propelling the company into an elite group of global producers. This expansion supports the Government of India’s Make in India vision and ensures a greater supply of high-quality, domestically produced aluminium for strategic sectors including defence, aerospace, automotive, construction, and power transmission.
Following the ramp-up, Balco is set to contribute over 20 per cent of India’s total aluminium output, further consolidating its role as a key driver of industrial growth.
The company highlighted that this technological advancement was made possible through collaboration with leading domestic and international partners such as Larsen & Toubro (L&T), Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), Siemens, and Guiyang Aluminium Magnesium Design & Research Institute Co. Ltd. (GAMI). These partnerships have brought world-class engineering, automation, and efficiency systems to the project.
Aluminium, often described as a metal of national importance, plays a crucial role across strategic industries and everyday life. With the commissioning of Balco’s new smelter, Vedanta Aluminium’s total capacity rises to 2.8 MTPA—positioning it among the world’s largest aluminium producers and a pivotal force in India’s manufacturing self-reliance.
“This milestone exemplifies our commitment to nation-building with responsibility, efficiency, and innovation,” Kumar added, noting that the expansion would create direct and indirect employment while strengthening India’s position in the global aluminium value chain.
Industry observers see the milestone as a turning point in India’s aluminium manufacturing journey—one that combines advanced technology, sustainable operations, and strategic capacity-building to meet rising global and domestic demand. |
