Hindustan Zinc Limited, a Vedanta Group company and one of the world’s largest integrated zinc producers, has announced an ambitious AI-driven industrial transformation roadmap targeting value creation of nearly ₹2,000 crore across its mining, smelting and manufacturing operations. The announcement was made during “Zinnovation 2026”, a large-scale technology showcase and innovation platform hosted jointly with V-Spark DeepTech Ventures.
The initiative is designed to accelerate the deployment of advanced digital technologies, industrial AI, automation and intelligent systems across Hindustan Zinc’s operational ecosystem. The identified value pool is expected to emerge through higher productivity, enhanced asset reliability, improved energy efficiency, lower operational costs, safer workplaces and faster decision-making capabilities.
The event brought together leading global technology companies, original equipment manufacturers, industrial innovators and emerging startups to explore practical AI applications for the metals and mining sector. Industry leaders from Microsoft, Google Cloud, ABB, Siemens Limited, Sandvik, XCMG and AVEVA participated in discussions focused on the future of intelligent industrial operations.
As part of the programme, Hindustan Zinc signed memorandums of understanding with XCMG, Sandvik, STL Digital and AVEVA to jointly explore advanced digital and automation solutions. V-Spark DeepTech Ventures also entered into agreements with emerging technology firms including Beta Tanks Robotics, Symboticware AI, Kernely, Uncharted Technologies, Infinite Uptime, Intellisense.io and Flutura to evaluate high-potential AI solutions for industrial deployment. These partnerships will focus on feasibility studies, pilot implementation, data integration and scalable deployment models tailored for heavy industries and manufacturing operations.
Speaking at the event, Priya Agarwal Hebbar said the future of manufacturing will be shaped by the ability of companies to scale operations intelligently and sustainably. She noted that Hindustan Zinc is embedding advanced technologies deep into its operating model to build a globally benchmarked metals enterprise that combines operational excellence with environmental responsibility and workforce safety.
The forum highlighted how India’s manufacturing sector, despite contributing significantly to the country’s GDP, still has substantial room for wider AI adoption and industrial digitalisation. Through V-Spark DeepTech Ventures, Hindustan Zinc aims to bridge that gap by enabling practical, scalable technology adoption across manufacturing and industrial sectors.
Akarsh Hebbar said industrial leadership in the coming decade will depend on collaborative innovation ecosystems that connect startups, technology firms and large operating companies. He added that the venture-client model being developed through V-Spark is intended to help deep-tech companies move rapidly from pilot stages to measurable business impact.
The event also featured demonstrations of Hindustan Zinc’s digital mining and smelting capabilities, including tele-remote operations, virtual operational simulations and advanced training systems such as a state-of-the-art winder simulator.
Discussions during the conference focused on predictive maintenance, digital twins, connected operations, robotics, intelligent process control, computer vision systems, industrial data platforms and real-time operational intelligence. Industry participants said the initiative reflects the growing importance of AI and automation in strengthening global competitiveness within metals, mining and heavy manufacturing sectors. Executives from Sandvik and Infinite Uptime highlighted the importance of linking AI deployment directly with measurable operational outcomes such as lower downtime, improved asset performance and production efficiency.
Hindustan Zinc, part of the Vedanta Group, remains one of the world’s largest integrated zinc producers and among the top global silver producers. The company supplies products to more than 40 countries and continues to focus on sustainability, renewable energy integration, circular economy practices, and low-carbon metal production initiatives.
