THEBUSINESSBTES BUREAU
HYDERABAD, FEBRUARY 26, 2026
In a strategic push to accelerate innovation in India’s mineral and
metals sector, the R&D Centre of NMDC has entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding with Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, marking a
significant step toward advancing indigenous mining technologies and
sustainable resource development.
The MoU was signed by Sanjeev Sahi, ED (R&D), NMDC, and the Dean
(Sponsored Research & Consultancy), IIT Hyderabad, in the presence of Prof.
B. S. Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad. The collaboration seeks to merge NMDC’s
field expertise with the institute’s academic and research excellence to drive
cutting-edge work in mineral processing and allied domains.
Under the partnership, both institutions will jointly pursue research in
iron ore beneficiation and agglomeration, green steelmaking technologies, and
alternate ironmaking using indigenous raw materials. The initiative will also
focus on advanced modelling and simulation of mining and metallurgical
processes, while exploring pathways for extracting critical and rare earth
minerals from both primary and secondary sources — an effort aimed at
strengthening India’s mineral security and resource resilience.
Reflecting the sector’s rapid digital transformation, the collaboration
will extend to pilot projects and research in autonomous vehicle movement,
Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), Mining 4.0 frameworks, and
drone-enabled surveying and monitoring. By integrating operational strength
with research-driven innovation, the alliance is expected to deliver
technology-led solutions that enhance productivity, efficiency, and
environmental stewardship across the mining value chain.
On the occasion, Amitava Mukherjee, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, NMDC,
said, “The MoU with IIT Hyderabad strengthens NMDC’s commitment to innovation
through industry–academia collaboration. By leveraging IIT Hyderabad’s research
excellence and NMDC’s domain expertise, this partnership will advance
indigenous technologies in mining, mineral processing, and emerging areas,
contributing to sustainable development and the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
The partnership underscores NMDC’s focus on innovation-led growth and IIT
Hyderabad’s role in translating research into impactful industrial
applications. Notably, the agreement comes as NMDC’s R&D Centre completes
50 years of dedicated contribution to India’s mineral development, reinforcing
its legacy of research excellence and its continued pursuit of technological
advancement in support of the national Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.
