The south-west belt in Odisha accounts for 42 per cent of the country’s bauxite resourcesÂ
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BISWARANJAN ROUT
Remember the gold rush for copper that started five years ago, when green energy became a global thrust, and the world woke up to a gap between demand and supply. Now it is the turn of aluminium. It is one of the defining materials that make it indispensable for defence equipment (such as drone frames), electric vehicles, solar panels, aircraft, smartphones, and power transmission infrastructure. Consequently, the price of aluminium has begun to skyrocket, scaling to $3,468 per tonne on April 2, just below its four-year high.
Coming to supply, some of the world’s largest aluminium production facilities are located across the Gulf, where the conflict has been raging. The industry portal alcircle.com reported on March 12 that the Middle East accounts for 9 per cent of global aluminium supply.
Outside the Middle East, China is a leader in aluminium production and is ranked as the world’s largest producer of the metal. China could become a sought-after supplier, and the world knows (from past experience in rare earths) what could happen if one country dominates production.
Ramp-up production
As of date, India stands largely insulated from disruptions. However, given the geopolitical context we need to look at ways to ramp up production of the metal. India is now the world’s second-largest primary aluminium producer and third-largest consumer, according to Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers of India (August 2025).
Bauxite is the only commercially viable source of aluminium. Per Aluminium Vision Roadmap released by the Ministry of Mines, aluminium demand in India will rise sixfold by 2047. To keep pace, India must enhance production from the current 4.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) to nearly 37 mtpa over the next two decades. This cannot happen without a stable, domestic supply of bauxite..
While aluminium refineries and extrusion units in the country are spread out, almost 60 per cent of bauxite is found in Odisha.
The south-west belt in Odisha accounts for 42 per cent of the country’s bauxite resources. This covers four districts — Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Kalahandi — inhabited predominantly by Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities. Without doubt, these communities must benefit from what lies beneath their land. Robust rehabilitation, fair compensation, genuine local employment, and transparent revenue sharing are not optional — they are the baseline of responsible extraction. But these are problems to be solved, not reasons to leave vast blocks permanently untapped while importing bauxite at great expense.
Odisha’s bauxite is central to India’s aluminium ambitions, and both the Central and State governments must take immediate steps to resolve the bauxite mining imbroglio.
The writer, a communications strategist, writes on mining, metals, and sustainability. Views are personal
Published on April 12, 2026
