Anil Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta Ltd reminisces 23 years of Hindustan Zinc’s acquisition. The company, world’s largest integrated zinc producer has witnessed a 4x growth since Vedanta’s acquisition in 2002.

Marking 23 years since its privatisation, Vedanta Chairman Anil Agarwal shared the journey on social media, calling it the beginning of a new era for India’s resource independence and industrial strength. With a diverse portfolio of metals, including zinc, lead, and silver, Hindustan Zinc has consistently achieved over one million tonnes of metal production annually for the past three years, reflecting its steady rise to the top of global rankings.

“In 2002, the government made a bold move by privatizing Hindustan Zinc and gave us a chance. Within a year, without a single retrenchment, profits grew by 113%. Today, Hindustan Zinc is the world’s largest integrated zinc producer,” wrote Agarwal in a tweet that quickly gained traction across business and policy circles.

Hindustan Zinc’s journey began with bold reforms and a strong vision of value creation. It has been at the forefront in global zinc and silver production and stands as one of India’s most successful disinvestment stories since the Vedanta Group acquired a controlling stake in 2002. With over 75% of India’s primary zinc market share, the company continues to drive growth in the sector. In addition, it is also credited with driving a 15-fold increase in India’s silver production, thanks to the focused efforts of its engineers and experts.

Beyond industrial achievement, Hindustan Zinc’s presence in Rajasthan has powered widespread economic and social progress. “In Rajasthan, millions of livelihoods have been created, over 1000 allied industries have come up, and Rs 1.7 trillion has been contributed collectively to the state and nation’s treasury. Along with economic and social progress, the environment has also improved, and today, Rajasthan, the Sunshine State, shines even brighter,” Agarwal shared.

Hindustan Zinc’s ascent to the top is powered by its fully integrated operations and the advanced use of advanced digital technology, have transformed metal production, resulting in significant gains in efficiency and output. As zinc and silver play an increasingly crucial role in emerging clean technologies, Hindustan Zinc continues to explore new applications to support the global energy transition. This milestone reinforces Hindustan Zinc’s role in ensuring a stable global supply of high-quality zinc for critical industries.