Vedanta Aluminium Doubles Indias Largest Electric Forklift Fleet
27th November 2025
- Marking World Sustainable Transport Day, the company has expanded its electric forklift fleet to 142 units, strengthening its commitment to green, energy-efficient logistics.
New Delhi, November 27, 2025: Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, announces the expansion of India’s largest lithium-ion battery powered electric forklift fleet to comprise 142 vehicles deployed across its world-class operations in Odisha and Chhattisgarh, more than doubling its previous total. On World Sustainable Transport Day (November 26), this comes as a groundbreaking initiative that is redefining operations within India’s industrial landscape and driving an increased focus on ensuring sustainable business practices.
World Sustainable Transport Day is observed on 26 November every year by the United Nations, aiming to underscore the critical role of safe, affordable, accessible, and environmentally friendly transport systems in driving sustainable economic growth and social well-being. It also serves to promote global cooperation towards developing resilient, low-emission infrastructure.
Beyond reducing environmental impact and enhancing efficiency, sustainable transport is emerging as a crucial catalyst for achieving broader development goals such as gender equality and climate action. The transition to electric forklifts aligns with Vedanta’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, while also taking forward the goal of decarbonizing its Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) fleet by 2030.
Vedanta Aluminium’s significant milestone was achieved through a multi-phase rollout of the 142 electric forklifts across its operations, delivering transformative environmental, operational, and social benefits. At its Jharsuguda smelter alone, where 116 such forklifts have been deployed, the initiative is expected to eliminate approximately 4,450 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions annually and reduce diesel consumption by 16.3 lakh litres each year. Beyond these sustainability gains, the transition enhances workplace safety and boosts operational efficiency through faster charging and lower maintenance requirements, thereby reinforcing Vedanta’s vision of aligning operational excellence with environmental responsibility and social progress.
Commenting on the milestone, Mr. Rajiv Kumar, CEO – Vedanta Aluminium, said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, we view sustainability as more than a commitment, it is a catalyst for transformation. Our expanded electric forklift fleet is a testament to what becomes possible when we invest in technologies that benefit both our operations and our planet. This milestone has not only strengthened our environmental efforts but has also created new pathways for greater inclusion in industry roles that were once considered inaccessible to women.”
The initiative has created new opportunities for inclusive growth, with several forklifts operated by women and transgender professionals, reinforcing Vedanta’s commitment to equality and empowerment and demonstrating how sustainable technology can be a powerful enabler of social transformation. The initiative has also achieved other firsts such as the deployment of India’s first 10-tonne capacity electric forklifts at Vedanta Jharsuguda’s smelter operations.
By reducing dependence on fossil fuels and eliminating thousands of tonnes of emissions annually, Vedanta Aluminium is not just meeting its environmental goals but is also setting the standard for how industries can decarbonize without compromising on performance or productivity. By pioneering India’s largest industrial electric forklift fleet, the company demonstrates that environmental responsibility and operational excellence can drive each other forward towards a transformative future.
About Vedanta Limited:
Vedanta Limited, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources Limited, is one of the world’s leading Oil & Gas and Metals company with significant operations in Oil & Gas, Zinc, Lead, Silver, Copper, Iron Ore, Steel, and Aluminium & Power across India, South Africa and Namibia. For two decades, Vedanta has been contributing significantly to nation building. Governance and sustainable development are at the core of Vedanta's strategy, with a strong focus on health, safety, and environment. Vedanta has put in place a comprehensive framework to be the ESG leader in the natural resources sector. Vedanta is committed to reducing carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner and has pledged $5 billion over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net zero operations. Giving back is in the DNA of Vedanta, which is focused on enhancing the lives of local communities. The company’s flagship social impact program, Nand Ghars, have been set up as model anganwadis focused on eradicating child malnutrition, providing education, healthcare, and empowering women with skill development. Under the aegis of the Anil Agarwal Foundation, the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s social initiatives, the Vedanta group has pledged Rs 5000 crore over the next five years on social impact programmes with a thrust on nutrition, women & child development, healthcare, animal welfare, and grass-root level sports. Vedanta and the group companies have been featured in Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and was conferred Frost & Sullivan Sustainability Awards 2020, Golden Peacock Award for excellence in Corporate Governance 2022 and certified as a Great Place to Work 2022. Vedanta Limited is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange.
For more information, please visit www.vedantalimited.com
About Vedanta Aluminium Business:
Vedanta Aluminium, a business of Vedanta Limited, is India’s largest producer of aluminium, manufacturing more than half of India’s aluminium i.e., 2.37 million tonnes in FY24. It is a leader in value-added aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. Vedanta Aluminium ranks 1st in the S&P Global Corporate Sustainability Assessment 2023 world rankings for the aluminium industry, a reflection of its leading sustainable development practices. With its world-class aluminium smelters, alumina refinery and power plants in India, the company fulfils its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the ‘Metal of the Future’ for a greener tomorrow.
For more information, please log on to www.vedantaaluminium.com
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This press release contains “forward-looking statements” – that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address our expected future business and financial performance, and often contain words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “should” or “will.” Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain. For us, uncertainties arise from the behaviour of financial and metals markets including the London Metal Exchange, fluctuations in interest and or exchange rates and metal prices; from future integration of acquired businesses; and from numerous other matters of national, regional, and global scale, including those of a political, economic, business, competitive or regulatory nature. These uncertainties may cause our actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update our forward-looking statements.
