“Odisha’s Next Gold Mine is Silver!” Why Experts at Think Change Forum are Betting on an Aluminium Revolution.

Bhubaneswar | April 11, 2026: Think Change Forum (TCF), in partnership with Bhubaneswar City Knowledge Innovation Cluster Foundation (BCKIC), Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India convened a policy seminar titled “Odisha’s Strategic Opportunity to Lead Globally in the Industries of the Future”, bringing together experts from policy, industry, science, mining and environmental governance to discuss how Odisha can build its next phase of industrial growth through aluminium, bauxite and stronger downstream value chains.

The seminar examined how Odisha can translate Vision 2036 into real economic outcomes by strengthening the aluminium ecosystem as a driver of industrial depth, manufacturing competitiveness, jobs, sustainability and balanced regional growth.

Discussions at the seminar highlighted a clear imbalance in Odisha’s industrial growth. While the state has moved ahead in steel through large project approvals and iron ore mine operationalisation, aluminium remains underdeveloped despite Odisha holding the world’s fifth-largest bauxite deposits and 51% of India’s total bauxite reserves. Participants noted that India imported about 3.6 million tonnes of bauxite in FY2023 and an estimated 4.5 million tonnes in FY2024–25, with a foreign exchange burden of around ₹4,000–5,000 crore, while finished aluminium imports crossed ₹70,000 crore in FY2025–26. Speakers said this reflects a wider economic cost of underutilising available mineral strength and a missed opportunity for jobs, industrial growth and regional development in districts such as Kalahandi and Rayagada.

Speaking at the opening of the event, Prof. Mrutyunjay Suar, Chairman, BCKIC, said, “We are pleased to partner with Think Change Forum as a knowledge partner in this important discussion on how Odisha can build stronger MSME and downstream depth through an Aluminium Corridor. For Odisha’s industrial transformation to be future-ready, it is essential to connect mineral strength with value-added manufacturing, local enterprise development and innovation-led growth. At BCKIC, we remain committed to working with experts and institutions to help translate Odisha’s Purba Vision into action.”

Participants noted that aluminium is becoming increasingly important for sectors such as electric mobility, renewable energy systems, transmission infrastructure, aerospace and defence, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing. In that context, the seminar underlined that Odisha is uniquely positioned to build leadership in future industries if it moves decisively to strengthen aluminium-led manufacturing and value-added industrial capacity. On the strategic importance of converting resource strength into industrial competitiveness, Mr. R K Sinha, Former Controller General, Indian Bureau of Mines, Ministry of Mines, said: Aluminium is increasingly becoming a strategic material for next-generation manufacturing, and for Odisha, this creates a clear urgency to operationalise bauxite resources and link them to downstream value chains. Odisha has the resource base to become a far stronger industrial and alumina hub, but this opportunity now calls for deliberate and timely action. The need of the hour is to responsibly unlock available bauxite