Hindalco partners with Vi Business to deploy a private network at an Odisha bauxite mine

Hindalco Industries has partnered with Vi Business to establish its first dedicated private network at the Baphlimali bauxite mine in Odisha, supporting safer mining, real-time monitoring and Industry 4.0 operations.

Hindalco Industries Ltd has partnered with Vi Business, the enterprise arm of Vodafone Idea (Vi), to deploy a dedicated private network at its Baphlimali bauxite mine in Rayagada district, Odisha. Announced on October 8, 2026, the multi-year managed services agreement marks Hindalco’s first private network implementation and forms part of its broader digital transformation strategy.

The network will cover the complete private network infrastructure, including spectrum, core network, radio access network (RAN) and managed services. It is expected to provide secure, reliable connectivity across the mining site and support the development of connected, automated and data-driven operations.

Baphlimali is a strategically important source of bauxite for Hindalco’s integrated aluminium manufacturing value chain.

The deployment will support several digital applications, including worker safety solutions, fleet management, drone and CCTV-based surveillance, real-time operational monitoring and improved mining efficiency.

An Integrated Command and Control Centre will provide centralised visibility across mining operations, enabling data-driven decision-making. The scalable network infrastructure is also expected to facilitate the adoption of automation and other advanced technologies as Hindalco progresses with its DigiMine initiative.

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M P Sunil Kumar, Chief Enterprise Business Officer at Vi Business, said, “This deployment underscores our capability to engineer customised private networks for complex industrial environments.”

He added that secure, high-performance connectivity combined with a scalable architecture would enable intelligent mining and support Hindalco’s long-term digital transformation plans.

Kailash Pandey, CEO of Aluminium Upstream at Hindalco Industries Ltd, said, “Our first dedicated Private network at Baphlimali will create a critical digital backbone for connected, automated, and data-driven mining operations.”

He added that digitalisation and Industry 4.0 technologies were central to Hindalco’s vision of building future-ready operations, with the initiative intended to improve safety, efficiency and the company’s position as a technology-led metals producer.

The private network deployment also aligns with Hindalco’s focus on responsible mining. Baphlimali recently received Aluminium Stewardship Initiative (ASI) Performance Standard certification, recognising its alignment with internationally recognised environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards.

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