Eleven Years of Make in India: Unlocking Odisha’s Bauxite for the Next Industrial Leap

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, OCTOBER 15, 2025

On September 25, 2025, India marked the 11th anniversary of the Make in India initiative, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the same date in 2014. The vision behind Make in India was bold and transformative: to position India as a global hub for manufacturing, design, and innovation. It promised that India would no longer be a mere importer of goods, but a competitive exporter. Over the past decade, the initiative has delivered notable successes, but a paradox remains — India continues to import bauxite, despite possessing some of the world’s largest bauxite reserves. This reliance is costing the nation billions of rupees, undermining the very essence of self-reliance the program sought to champion.

Make in India was conceived to reduce dependency on imports, boost domestic manufacturing, and create millions of jobs. Dr. Umesh Jena, Former Additional Director of Mines, Government of Odisha, highlights the visible progress in various sectors. However, in the critical area of raw materials like bauxite—the cornerstone of India’s aluminium industry — import dependency persists. This is where the bauxite paradox becomes a critical issue.

India is the second-largest producer of aluminium and holds some of the largest bauxite reserves globally. Odisha alone accounts for nearly 59 percent of the country’s total bauxite reserves. Yet, despite this abundance, India continues to import over 4.5 million tonnes of bauxite annually, at an astronomical cost of ₹4,000–5,000 crore. This contradiction lies at the heart of the bauxite paradox: while vast reserves remain untapped within India’s borders, the nation continues to import bauxite at a high cost to fuel its aluminium industry.

This persistent reliance on imports for a resource that is readily available domestically is not just an economic inefficiency. It directly undermines the core philosophy of Make in India. True self-reliance in manufacturing cannot be achieved when the foundation—raw materials—are imported. To transform Make in India from a vision into a genuine industrial revolution, the country must leverage its own mineral wealth.

The solution is clear and urgent. India must expedite the development of new bauxite mines, particularly in Odisha, under a modernized mining framework that balances growth with sustainability. Streamlining the process for fast and transparent clearances is essential. But these efforts must go hand-in-hand with robust community engagement, including the mandated 5% revenue sharing with local communities as directed by the Supreme Court, and comprehensive environmental safeguards. In tandem with mining reforms, investments in infrastructure — rail, road, and port facilities — across mineral corridors are crucial. These improvements will drive down the costs of transporting ore from mines to refineries.

The economic case is compelling. Opening new bauxite mines can save India billions of dollars in foreign exchange, create thousands of direct and indirect jobs, and stimulate industrial ecosystems in some of the country’s most underdeveloped regions. More importantly, it will secure India’s aluminium supply chain, ensuring that critical industries ranging from construction to defence, and even renewable energy, are supported by a stable domestic raw material base.

As India celebrates the 11th anniversary of Make in India, the success stories of mobile phones and electronics demonstrate the power of aligned policies, industry, and incentives. However, the bauxite paradox reveals how much more remains to be achieved. The next decade of Make in India must not just focus on increasing production, but also on completing the industrial value chain — from the mine to the market. Odisha’s untapped bauxite reserves hold the key to unlocking this potential. Tapping into these reserves won’t just be about mining; it will demonstrate how Make in India is driving a transformative, sustainable industrial ecosystem rooted firmly in India’s own soil.