Indian Aluminium Industry following the Government’s footsteps to Self-Reliant Nation: Abhijit Pati

At the 58th National Metallurgists’ Day (NMD) International Conference and 74th Annual Technical Meeting (ATM), Mr Abhijit Pati, CEO & Director of Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), led the panel discussion on ‘Enhancing global competitiveness of Indian metals industries’, whereby he said Indian aluminium industry had been following the government’s visionary initiatives such as Make in India, Smart Cities, Power for All, indigenous space programs, domestic value addition, creating jobs and SMEs, aiming to make the country a self-reliant nation.

Mr Pati mentioned that the Indian aluminium Industry generated over 8 lakh direct and indirect jobs and developed more than 4000 SMEs in the downstream sector.

“The clarion call of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat from our Honorable Prime Minister is seeing Indians working on a war footing to fulfill this vision. Aluminium industry has a strong output and employment multiplier effect on other key sectors. It has forward linkages with aviation, defense, auto, electricity, construction, packaging etc., and backward linkages with mining, refining, chemical industry, power, and machinery,” said Mr Pati while emphasizing on BALCO’s continued efforts during the pandemic.

According to him, aluminium is a metal of strategic importance to the country and a vital raw material for key industries like electrical distribution, transportation, aerospace, defense, building & construction, etc.

Mr Pati also stressed on the requirement of raw material pricing restructure such as coal and bauxite. He suggested much-needed reforms on guidelines for boosting domestic aluminium scrap recycling and achieving quality standards for scrap imports/usage. Besides, he recommended ways to enhance export competitiveness in India through Remission of Duties or Taxes on Export Products Scheme exclusively for aluminium industry.

Aluminium industry is one of the key wealth-creating sectors in India and lends immense opportunity for economic and employment growth, concluded Mr Pati at the conference.

Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO), India’s icononic aluminium producer, operates 0.57 million tonnes per annum aluminium smelter in Korba, Chhattisharh, and leads value-added aluminium products manufacturing that find critical applications in core industries.