BALCO Set to Enter the ‘Million Tonne Club’, Powering India’s Aluminium Self-Reliance
Balconagar:: Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s iconic Aluminium producer and a part of Vedanta Aluminium, has achieved a landmark in India’s aluminium industry by producing the first metal from the nation’s largest 525 kilo Ampere (kA) smelter under its ongoing 1 million tonne per annum (MTPA) expansion project. This technological advancement surpasses the earlier national benchmark of 378 kA, setting new standards in scale, efficiency, and operational excellence.
With the commissioning of the new 0.435 MTPA potline, BALCO’s total aluminium production capacity will reach 1 MTPA, placing the company among the select global producers in the Million Tonne Club. This expansion supports the Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ vision and advances the nation’s self-reliance by ensuring greater availability of domestically produced, high-quality aluminium for critical sectors such as defence, aerospace, automotive, construction, and power transmission.
With the ramp-up, BALCO will contribute over 20% of India’s total aluminium production, positioning itself at the forefront of the nation’s industrial progress.
Speaking on the expansion, Mr. Rajesh Kumar, CEO & Director, BALCO, said, “With our entry into the Million Tonne Club, BALCO is scripting a new chapter in India’s journey of self-reliance. Aluminium is a metal of national importance, with applications spanning strategic sectors and everyday life. 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 BALCO’s capacity expansion to 1 MTPA, Vedanta Aluminium will scale up to 2.8 MTPA, positioning it as the world’s largest aluminium producer and a key enabler of India’s industrial self-reliance.
