Company showcases 24 technical papers spanning AI, digitalisation, refining, smelting, sustainability and advanced materials at global aluminium forum

 

THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

JHARSUGUDA, SEPTEMBER 21, 2026

Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest aluminium producer, reinforced its technology and innovation credentials at the 14th International Bauxite, Alumina & Aluminium Conference and Exhibition (IBAAS 2026) in Jharsuguda, winning three Best Paper Awards for research spanning aluminium smelting, refining and advanced materials. The company also presented 24 technical papers covering artificial intelligence, digitalisation, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, sustainability, alloy development, resource recovery and operational excellence.

The recognition underscores Vedanta Aluminium’s focus on applying research, technology and cross-sector collaboration to improve manufacturing performance, strengthen resource efficiency and develop next-generation solutions across the aluminium value chain.

Held under the theme ‘Global Aluminium Outlook 2030: Secure Resources, Efficient Energy and Value from Wastes,’ IBAAS 2026 brought together industry leaders, researchers, technology providers, policymakers and academic institutions to deliberate on the future of the global aluminium sector. Discussions focused on resource security, energy efficiency, technological innovation and opportunities to unlock greater value from waste through circular economy approaches.

Rajesh Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminium, joined the inaugural session as Chief Guest, sharing perspectives on emerging opportunities for the aluminium industry and the importance of building resilient, technology-led and value-added ecosystems.

Speaking at the conference, CEO Rajesh Kumar said, “As demand accelerates across electric mobility, renewable energy, infrastructure and advanced manufacturing, the focus must shift towards building resilient, technology-led and value-added ecosystems. At Vedanta Aluminium, we are strengthening every link of the value chain, from resources and refining to digital operations, circularity and downstream manufacturing, to help position India as a leading hub for the aluminium economy of the future.”

Further contributing to the conference discourse, Vibhav Upadhyay, Chief Operating Officer – Smelter, Vedanta Aluminium, Jharsuguda, delivered a thought leadership address titled ‘Aluminium Value Chain and its Applications: Enabling Lightweight Solutions, Energy Efficiency and Advancing ESG Goals.’ His address highlighted aluminium’s growing role in enabling lightweight, energy-efficient and sustainable solutions across industries, while emphasising the importance of technology, innovation and responsible production in shaping the sector’s future.

Vedanta Aluminium’s technical expertise was further recognised through three Best Paper Awards across key categories.

In the Aluminium Smelting category, ‘Carbon Anode Quality Improvement’ received the Best Paper Award for presenting innovative measures to enhance anode quality and improve smelter performance.

In the Refining category, ‘Bauxite Residue to Resource: A Circular Economy Partnership between Vedanta & Fertilizer Industries’ was recognised for demonstrating how cross-sector collaboration can transform bauxite residue into a valuable resource, advancing circularity and resource efficiency.

The third award, in the area of advanced materials and product innovation, recognised ‘Improving Age-Hardening Response of AA6201 Rod: Role of Mg/Si Optimization and STRONTIUM-Assisted Intermetallic Transformation’. The paper highlighted Vedanta Aluminium’s focus on metallurgical excellence and the development of enhanced material properties through advanced research.

Vedanta Aluminium’s participation at IBAAS 2026 reflects its continued focus on leveraging research, technology and collaboration to address evolving industry challenges while creating opportunities for greater efficiency, sustainability and value creation.

As India’s largest aluminium producer, Vedanta Aluminium contributes more than half of the country’s aluminium output and recorded approximately 2.46 million tonnes of aluminium production in FY26. The company operates one of the world’s largest alumina refining complexes at Lanjigarh and the world’s largest single-location aluminium smelter at Jharsuguda. Through investments in technology, digitalisation, innovation and circular economy initiatives, Vedanta Aluminium continues to strengthen its capabilities across the aluminium value chain and contribute to the development of a future-ready aluminium ecosystem.