Jindal Steel and IIT Hyderabad to Establish Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Advanced Steel Solutions

• Centre to combine IITH’s technical capabilities with Jindal Steel’s manufacturing, metallurgical and engineering expertise.
• Focus on applications across infrastructure, construction, defence, power, transportation and heavy engineering.
• Centre to support application development, technical demonstrations, training, industry engagement and knowledge sharing.

Jindal Steel, one of India’s leading steel manufacturers, and the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the Jindal Steel Centre of Excellence (CoE) for High-Strength, Value-Added and Value-Engineered Steel Products and Solutions at the IIT Hyderabad campus.

The first-of-its-kind Centre will accelerate the application and adoption of advanced steel solutions across infrastructure, engineering, construction and strategic industrial sectors. The Centre will combine IITH’s technical capabilities with Jindal Steel’s manufacturing, metallurgical and engineering expertise to develop and demonstrate applications for high-strength, value-added and value-engineered steels. These solutions are aimed at offering higher performance, lower material consumption, reduced weight, faster execution, improved durability and better lifecycle economics.

The applications will span buildings and bridges, penstocks and large-diameter pipes, defence, yellow goods and heavy equipment, power plants, refineries, transportation, heavy engineering and other critical industrial applications. The Centre will work with designers, consultants, engineers, fabricators, EPC companies, equipment manufacturers and project developers to identify applications and facilitate the adoption of advanced steel grades.

Jindal Steel will invest in developing a physical Centre of Excellence (CoE)at the IIT Hyderabad campus, which will serve as a hub for application development, technical demonstrations, training, industry engagement and knowledge sharing.

Speaking on the partnership, Prof. B S Murty, Director, IIT Hyderabad, said “This Centre of Excellence strengthens IITH’s role in promoting advanced steel solutions across India’s engineering, infrastructure and industrial sectors. It will enable faculty and students to work closely with industry on real-world applications and demonstrate how high-strength and value-engineered steels can drive efficiency, performance and sustainability. We look forward to an impactful partnership with Jindal Steel."

Mr V R Sharma, Managing Director, Jindal Steel, said: “Partnering with IIT Hyderabad is a major step in expanding the use of high-strength and value-engineered steel across India’s infrastructure, engineering and industrial sectors. By combining IITH’s technical capabilities with Jindal Steel’s manufacturing, metallurgical and engineering expertise, the Centre will demonstrate solutions that are stronger, lighter, faster and more efficient across a wide range of applications. Our goal is to accelerate their adoption in real-world projects.

The partnership will include application development programmes, workshops, symposia, industry-academia training, demonstration projects, student internships and placements, academic modules and industry engagement initiatives. The Centre will also engage with industry stakeholders, government agencies and end users to support technical evaluation and enable the adoption of advanced steel solutions at scale.

About Jindal Steel:

Jindal Steel is one of India’s foremost integrated steel producers, renowned for its scale, efficiency, and commitment to excellence. Operating on a robust mine-to-metal model, the Company leverages captive resources, Advanced Manufacturing capabilities, and a global distribution network to deliver high-performance steel solutions.

With an investment footprint exceeding USD 12 billion, Jindal Steel runs state-of-the-art facilities in Angul, Raigarh, and Patratu, and maintains strategic operations across India and Africa. Its diversified and future-ready product portfolio underpins core sectors such as infrastructure, construction, and manufacturing, powering progress through strength and sustainability.

About IITH:

IITH, established in 2008, has reached a respectable position in academics, research, technology development, and Start-ups in a short span of 17+ years. In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF-2025), IITH is ranked 7th among Engineering institutes (crossing a first-generation IIT this year), and is ranked 6th in Innovation, while it has maintained its rank within the top 10 Engineering Institutes ever since NIRF was launched. IITH is ranked 588th in the QS World University Rankings 2027 and 270th in the QS Asian University Rankings 2026 (123rd globally in citations per faculty). IITH has recorded a major leap in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, entering the global Top 400 in Engineering & Technology with a rank of 395, marking a sharp improvement from the 501–550 band in 2025. IITH secured 46 positions by 31 faculties in the Stanford /Elsevier Global Top 2% Scientists list 2025 across two categories. IITH has been striving for excellence with its vision of "Inventing & Innovating in Technology for Humanity," guided by its newly adopted Sanskrit Motto, "नवोन्मेषेण देशनिर्माणम्" (Nation Building through Innovation).

With 350+ full-time Faculty, 350+ non-teaching Staff and 6140+ Students (PG+PhD students accounting for about 60%), IITH has a strong research focus with 5830+ R&D Projects worth of Rs. 1845+ Cr (Rs. 245+ Cr funding in 2025-26), 14,040+ Publications, 2,85,210+ Citations, 165 h-index, 790+ Patents, 400+ granted patents (250 Patents in 2025, i.e., almost a patent on every working day in 2025), and about 300 Start-ups (that have generated 1100+ jobs with a revenue of Rs. 1500+ Cr).

The thrust areas of research at IITH are: Next-Generation Telecommunications, Autonomous Navigation, Robotics & Intelligent systems, Semiconductors & Devices, Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Materials & Critical Minerals, Materials characterisation, Catalysis, Healthcare, Energy, Sustainability, Climate Change, Smart Mobility, EV technology, Quantum technologies, Nuclear Energy, Computational Engineering, Design, AR/VR, Waste management, and Rural development. 

Rio Tinto and AMG Metals & Materials to Assess Low-Carbon Aluminium Project in India

Rio Tinto and AMG Metals & Materials (AMG M&M), an energy transition solutions provider, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly assess the feasibility of developing an integrated low-carbon aluminium project powered by renewable energy in India. AMG M&M is promoted by the two founders of Greenko and AM Green.

Together, the parties will consider the potential development of up to a 1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) primary aluminium smelter and 2 Mtpa of alumina production, both powered by renewable wind and solar energy firmed by pumped hydro storage. The development will comprise a study to evaluate a potential first phase 500,000 tonnes per annum primary aluminium smelter in a favourable location in India.

Aluminium is a recyclable environment-friendly metal having a host of applications across diverse sectors - power, transportation, building, construction, packaging and many more. World primary Aluminium demand has reached ~70 million tonnes. India is already the world's second biggest aluminium producer and third biggest consumer, with demand set to double over the next decade. Current India Aluminium market is around 5 MTPA.

Rio Tinto Aluminium Chief Executive Jérôme Pécresse said: “This study is an important step in our ambition to grow our global, low-carbon aluminium footprint while exploring new project delivery approaches and opportunities in emerging markets. Partnering with AMG Metals & Materials enables us to assess how we can develop low-cost responsible aluminium production powered by renewable energy. With its rapid economic growth and strategic position, India is a compelling location for this potential project and aligns with our long-term vision for a globally more diverse and resilient aluminium business.”

As part of the study, AMG M&M will examine a firmed renewable energy solution with Greenko, while Rio Tinto will explore a commercial alumina solution. The study will also assess smelting technology options to determine the most cost-effective solution for the project.

Group President of AMG Metals & Materials and Greenko Mahesh Kolli said: “Over the last few years, we have been able to deliver a multitude of decarbonization solutions comprising electricity, molecules, chemicals and fuels. We are excited to expand that further to the materials space. This MOU could deliver much needed low-carbon metal at scale to propel decarbonization initiatives in global supply chains across auto, construction, consumer packaging and many more segments.”

About Rio Tinto

Rio Tinto is a leading global mining and metals group that focuses on finding, mining, processing and marketing the Earth’s mineral resources. Its main products include iron ore, aluminium, copper, lithium, borates and titanium dioxide. Further information at www.riotinto.com.

About AMG Metals & Materials

AMG Metals & Materials is incorporated by Anil Chalamalasetty and Mahesh Kolli, the founders of Greenko Group, one of India’s leading energy transition solutions providers, and AM Green, a global decarbonization solution provider. Greenko has a near-term operational renewable energy capacity of 10 GW across solar, wind and hydro and is building 100 GWh of single cycle storage capacity across India.

AM Green is developing low-carbon ammonia projects across multiple locations in India with a goal to reach 5 Mtpa of green ammonia capacity by 2030. Its first plant currently under construction in Kakinada with a projected capacity of 1 Mtpa of green ammonia will be one of the world’s largest RFNBO compliant green ammonia facilities, supporting efforts to achieve net zero targets both in India and OECD markets. AM Green is also developing production capabilities for other net zero molecules and chemicals including green caustic soda, e-methanol, olefins & biofuels for decarbonization in hard to abate industries. Further information at www.amgreen.com

Adani to Start Operations at India's Largest Copper Smelter Within a Month

Adani Enterprises is gearing up to start operations at its Kutch Copper smelter within the next four weeks. This facility, located in Mundra, Gujarat, is set to be India’s largest copper smelter, refining copper concentrate as part of its first phase. The commissioning process began a month ago, with the production of the first anodes already underway.

At a conference hosted by the International Copper Association in Santiago, Chile, Felipe Williams Ossa, Head of Metals at Adani Enterprises, said, "In the next four weeks, we're starting the largest metallurgical complex of copper and other metals in the world."

The smelter comes at a time when Asian smelters are facing losses due to tight copper supply and negative treatment and refining charges (TC/RCs), which are key revenue sources for smelters. Despite these challenges, Adani sees this as a long-term opportunity to meet India's growing copper demand, especially as the country pushes for industrial expansion and clean energy initiatives.

Once fully operational, the 500,000-tonne unit will be expanded to one million tonnes, with an estimated investment of $700-800 million, bringing the total cost of the facility to around $2 billiom. Around 40% of the copper produced will be used within the Adani Group, primarily for its renewable energy and transmission sectors, as well as its new wires and cables business.

This move is expected to significantly reduce India's copper imports, strengthening the country’s position in the global copper market.