Vedanta Resources has unveiled an ambitious plan to transform itself into a $100 billion energy, critical minerals, and tech conglomerate. The company, led by CEO Deshnee Naidoo, aims to achieve this goal through aggressive investments in backward integration, asset acquisitions, and expansions in key sectors such as aluminium, copper, oil and gas, and rare earths. Naidoo outlined the company’s growth plans, which include doubling the Lanjigarh alumina refinery in Odisha to 5 MTPA by FY26 and expanding captive coal and bauxite mining.
Vedanta is also focused on growing its presence in critical minerals, with a strategic role in helping India reduce its dependence on imports. The company has secured ten critical mineral blocks, including tungsten, graphite, and rare earth elements, and is leveraging its expertise in advanced metal extraction to build India’s self-reliance. Internationally, Vedanta is exploring opportunities for business expansion, including a recent MoU in Saudi Arabia to develop large-scale copper projects.
In oil and gas, Vedanta’s subsidiary Cairn is focused on accelerating exploration and converting reserves into production, with a near-term goal of about 150,000 barrels per day. The company is also expanding its aluminium production capacity, with plans to take capacity from 2.4 MTPA to 3.1 MTPA by FY28. Through its Restora range, India’s first low-carbon ‘green’ aluminium, Vedanta is helping downstream industries meet global decarbonisation standards.
The demerger process, which is underway, is expected to be completed within the current financial year. The restructuring will result in five focused, independent companies, each with the flexibility to unlock greater value. Naidoo noted that the company is confident of completing the demerger process, having received 99.99% approvals from shareholders and 99.95% from creditors.
Looking ahead, Vedanta is focused on scaling its businesses to meet India’s growing demand, despite challenges posed by increasing US tariffs and global geopolitical tensions. The company sees opportunities for India to strengthen its domestic capabilities and secure strategic resources, particularly in the energy sector. By diversifying its energy mix and investing in renewable capacity, India can position itself as a resilient global player in energy and mining. Overall, Vedanta’s ambitious plans and strategic investments are poised to drive growth and transformation in the energy, critical minerals, and tech sectors.