India’s iron ore production increased by 4.4% to 263 million tonnes (MT) in the April-February period of FY25, up from 252 MT in the same period last year, according to the Mines Ministry. The total iron ore output for 2023-24 stood at 274 MT, with the mineral accounting for 70% of the country’s total mining production by value.

Manganese ore production surged by 12.8% to 3.4 MT, compared to 3 MT in the year-ago period. Bauxite output also saw a modest rise of 3.6% to 22.7 MT.

In the non-ferrous segment, primary aluminium production grew 0.9% year-on-year during the April-February period. India remains the world’s second-largest aluminium producer and ranks among the top 10 refined copper producers and fourth in global iron ore production.

The steady increase in iron ore production reflects robust demand from the steel sector. Growth in aluminium and copper output further highlights sustained economic activity across key industries such as infrastructure, construction, energy, and automotive, the ministry noted.