Bhubaneswar, July 18th, 2025: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium,has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research – Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (ICAR-CTCRI). The partnership aims to drive sustainable agriculture and afforestation through the innovative utilization of red mud,a major industrial by-product derived in the process of refining bauxite to alumina powder.This pioneering initiative aims to convert red mud into a nutrient-rich growth medium, unlocking its potential for cultivation, land restoration, and the afforestation of erstwhile red mud storage areas. By leveraging scientific and industrial expertise, the initiative seeks to enhance soil health, boost crop productivity, and support large-scale ecological restoration, turning an environmental challenge into an opportunity for greener growth across India.
While red mud is already repurposed in sectors like construction and cement, Vedanta Aluminium has now begun to transform it into thriving agricultural ecosystems. The MoU was signed in the presence of the Honourable Governor of Kerala, Shri Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The event was also attended by an esteemed team of ICAR-CTCRI scientists, led by Dr. Byju, Director of ICAR-CTCRI, and comprising Dr. V. Ramesh, Dr. M. Nedunchezhiyan, and Dr. P. Sethuraman Sivakumar, each bringing deep expertise and a commitment to promoting sustainable agriculture across India.
Underscoring its significance in the long-term, Mr. Rajiv Kumar, CEO, Vedanta Aluminiumsaid,“This venture, among many other circular economy avenues in Vedanta, is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility. Through this collaboration, Vedanta Aluminium and ICAR-CTCRI are creating an ecological opportunitydemonstrating how scientific and industrial synergies can address both environmental and industrial challenges.We are laying the foundation for a future where industrial by-products such as red mud are effectively repurposed as environmental assets, a true ‘Red to Green’ revolution.”
Emphasising the importance of the collaboration, Dr. Byju, Director, ICAR-CTCRI, said,“This collaboration marks a significant milestone, combining ICAR-CTCRI’s robust agricultural research capabilities with Vedanta’s massive scale and industrial expertise. By working together, we hope to deliver innovative, scalable, and eco-friendly solutions that will benefit farmers, communities, and the environment alike.”
Previously, Vedanta Aluminium, has developed a breakthrough process that reduces bauxite residue (red mud) by 30% during alumina refining, while boosting alumina yield and lowering energy use. The innovation, driven by Vedanta’s R&D team in collaboration with IIT Kharagpur and supported by its Lanjigarh unit in Odisha, marks a major step toward greater resource efficiency and sustainability in aluminium production. Additionally, the company is also the first in India to achieve Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) by fully extracting and recycling water from bauxite residue slurry. The dried residue is securely stored in a scientifically managed Bauxite Residue Reservoir, preventing groundwater contamination. Vedanta also pioneered the country’s first Bauxite Residue Processing Plant to enable this sustainable practice.
