Rising Northeast Summit: Vedanta announces INR 80,000 Crore investment in the Northeast

Chairman Anil Agarwal announces investments in critical minerals, energy, power transmission and technology sectors in six Northeastern states at the Rising Northeast Investment Summit in New Delhi

Bengaluru, May 23^rd, 2025: Vedanta Group, India’s only and the world’s leading critical minerals, energy transition metals, power, oil & gas and technology conglomerate announced an investment of Rs. 80,000 crores in the Northeast region. The company was participating in the inaugural session of the Rising Northeast Investors Summit 2025 – a global investment conclave organized by the Ministry of Development of Northeastern Region in New Delhi. The investment will be made in the fields of oil & gas, critical minerals, refining facilities, power, optical fibre, system integration, renewable energy, transmission sectors and data centres in six Northeastern states.

Vedanta is undertaking one of the largest exploration and development programs to unlock the hydrocarbons in the Northeast. Earlier this year, the company announced Rs. 50,000 crore investment in Assam at the Advantage Assam 2.0 summit. Today, the hydrocarbons & minerals conglomerate announced additional investments of Rs. 30,000 crores across Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura, Meghalaya and Mizoram, at Rising Northeast Summit.

The investment will potentially generate up to 1 lakh jobs and enable socio-economic development of the region. Vedanta is also committed to expanding its social impact initiatives such as Nand Ghars (modernized anganwadis that function as holistic centers for woman & child development), handloom skill centers, digital classrooms for women and children, and promoting sports to ensure a brighter, more inclusive future for the youth of the region.

Speaking at the summit, in the presence of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, Hon’ble Union Minister for Communications and Development of Northeastern Region, Shri Jyotiraditya M. Scindia, Chief Ministers of 8 Northeastern states and other dignitaries, Shri Anil Agarwal, Chairman – Vedanta Group, reinforced his company’s commitment towards the progress of the region.

“Today, the states of the North-East are growing in double digits. The opportunities are growing even faster. Under the Prime Minister’s leadership, this region has become a key engine of growth for Viksit Bharat. The private sector is ready to be a partner for prosperity. Vedanta is fully committed to investment in the region which has the most amazing natural resources potential, from oil and gas to critical minerals and an exceptional pool of talented human resources”, said Shri Anil Agarwal, Chairman, Vedanta Group.

The Northeast is a land of unparalleled natural abundance, both above and below the ground. Assam, the site of India’s first oil discovery, holds nearly 27% of the country’s crude reserves. Cairn Oil & Gas has been producing from the Hazarigaon field in Assam, the first DSF (Discovered Small Field) block to go under production in the Northeast.

Cairn has also been supplying gas to the neighbouring Tea estates, giving a boost to tea production in Assam and enabling farmers to switch from expensive coal-based energy sources to clean gas. The locally produced gas from the Hazarigaon field is also a prime contributor in fuelling more than 100 CNG buses in Guwahati, supporting the clean energy initiative of the Government of Assam.

Arunachal Pradesh is home to India’s highest graphite reserves, substantial vanadium and Rare Earth deposits, and nearly 40% of the country’s hydro power potential. Recently, Vedanta secured vanadium and graphite mineral blocks in Arunachal Pradesh through critical mineral auctions. Once explored, these critical mineral blocks will provide vital raw materials to India’s hi-tech manufacturing and clean energy sectors. Nagaland, Tripura, and Meghalaya also have immense natural resources that can be responsibly harnessed for the growth of the region and the country.

Vedanta and its sister entities have also invested in the commissioning of 300 circuit kilometer transmission system network which allows transfer of 1,000 MW power from Assam to Meghalaya. This project significantly improves power reliability and accessibility in Meghalaya and Assam, supporting the region’s industrial, commercial, socio-economic growth and overall quality of life.

The company has also been supporting women artisans through sustainable livelihood opportunities by setting up handloom centres, providing financial independence to more than 3,000 women. The company also conducts multiple livelihood training and skilling programmes and is engaged with various communities across 200 villages. Vedanta has also partnered with Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to bolster wildlife conservation efforts in the region.

The Northeast is not just a geographical frontier, it is India’s next frontier for energy, growth, and sustainable development.