India’s bauxite production seen rising to around 45Mt, yet import dependency likely to stay 20%

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India’s bauxite industry is entering a new phase of expansion as domestic production and imports rise simultaneously. The country produced around 25 million tonnes of bauxite in 2025, slightly higher than the 24 million tonnes recorded in 2024. However, despite increasing domestic mining activity, imports also surged sharply to nearly 4.9 million tonnes from 4.1 million tonnes a year earlier, marking year-on-year growth of around 20 per cent.

The trend points to a larger structural shift unfolding in India’s aluminium sector. As refinery capacities continue expanding, aluminium producers are increasingly prioritising stable and high-grade bauxite supplies for long-term operations, making imported ore important alongside domestic production.

India currently produces around 9.5 million tonnes of alumina annually. At the standard industry conversion ratio of 2.5:1, this translates into annual bauxite demand of roughly 24 million tonnes. On paper, India’s domestic production of around 25 million tonnes in 2025, appears sufficient to support current refinery operations while still leaving a surplus of nearly 1 million tonnes.

Yet imports remain elevated at nearly 4.9 million tonnes annually in 2025, while India also continues exporting close to 0.47 million tonnes of bauxite.

Why India imports bauxite despite large reserves and sufficient roduction