National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has achieved a landmark with the production of 53 million tonnes (MT) of iron ore in FY26, becoming the first company in India’s mining history to surpass the 50 MT annual production mark.
The company produced 5.35 MT and sold 5.90 MT of iron ore in the month of March 2026, with an exceptional growth of 51 percent and 40 percent respectively over the comparable period last year.
The total production output reached 53.15 MT with a growth of 21 percent and sales reached 50.23 MT, with a 13 percent jump, marking its best ever volumes since inception. The record output is driven by robust performance from NMDC’s major iron ore mines – Kirandul and Bacheli in Chhattisgarh and Donimalai in Karnataka, recording their best ever performance in company history.
“Crossing 50 million tonnes is not just a production milestone for NMDC, it is a moment of pride for us and India’s mining sector. As India’s steel demand surges with rapid infrastructure growth, NMDC stands ready – stronger, larger and more future-focused than ever. 2026 has set our spirits high, with a new coal mine in Jharkhand, a new iron ore mine in Bailadila and this record output,’’ Amitava Mukherjee CMD, NMDC, said in a release on Wednesday.
Decisive pace
“We have set a decisive pace for FY27 and with our expansion plans backed by optimised resource development initiatives, we are confidently progressing towards our larger vision of powering Viksit Bharat,’’ he added.
In FY26, NMDC opened its international office in Dubai, operationalised the first coal mine in Jharkhand and commissioned Deposit 4 at Bailadila in Chhattisgarh, further strengthening its production capabilities and diversification strategy.