Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal Calls for Action to Increase Copper and Gold Self Sufficiency
Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta Ltd. has emphasised the need to urgently scale up India’s mineral production by increasing output from existing mining assets, particularly in copper and gold.
City Air News
Dec 30, 2025 01:10
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Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta Ltd. has emphasised the need to urgently scale up India’s mineral production by increasing output from existing mining assets, particularly in copper and gold.
“If the world wants to increase mineral production in the short term, there is only one way. Sweat existing assets. New projects take 5 to 10 years to produce,” Mr. Agarwal said in a social media post.
He highlighted India’s heavy import dependence, with the country importing nearly 99.9% of its gold requirement and around 95% of its copper, despite the presence of domestic assets that remain under-producing or dormant. Several of these assets are under government ownership.
At current global price levels, Agarwal said there is a strong case for encouraging private participation to unlock faster production. “Take a plunge. It is the fastest way to self-reliance,” he said, adding that boosting mineral output should be treated as a national priority.
He noted that reviving production from existing assets would require focused investment, technology deployment and operational expertise. “All it needs is some entrepreneurial energy, investment and technology,” Agarwal said.
Referring to former Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, he added, “It doesn’t matter if the cat is black or white as long as it catches mice,” underscoring the need for a practical, outcome-driven approach.
The remarks come amid growing focus on securing critical mineral supplies for manufacturing, infrastructure and energy transition requirements.
