Anil Agarwal: India must unlock its resource potential to power the next wave of innovation

Bengaluru, 7th October 2025: As gold prices continue to outshine even leading AI and technology stocks, Vedanta Limited Chairman Mr. Anil Agarwal has highlighted the growing importance of natural resources in driving the world’s technological and economic future.

He noted that while technologies like AI are reshaping industries, their foundation lies in minerals such as copper, aluminium, zinc, and lithium, the essential building blocks of every new-age technology. “It’s amazing that a mineral from below the ground, gold, is outperforming the latest technology that combines the best of human ability with the power of machines AI,” Mr. Agarwal said, adding that the future will depend as much on resources beneath the Earth as on innovations above it.

Mr. Agarwal emphasized that India must place equal focus on developing its natural resource base alongside advancing technology. “We need to motivate our young entrepreneurs and startups to enter this sector. It should be freed up, and they shouldn’t have to go to the government,” he said.

As the global demand for critical minerals accelerates, Mr. Agarwal emphasized that India has a unique opportunity to emerge as a global hub for these strategic resources. By opening up the sector to private participation and innovation, India can drive economic growth, strengthen supply chains, and secure its leadership in the technologies that will define the future from clean energy to artificial intelligence.