NMDC R&D Centre and IIT Hyderabad Sign MoU to Strengthen Academic and Research Collaboration

New Delhi: In a significant step toward strengthening India’s mineral and metals sector, the Research & Development Centre of NMDC Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT Hyderabad).

The agreement aims to promote indigenous technology development in mineral processing and allied sectors. The MoU was signed by NMDC’s Executive Director (R&D) Sanjeev Sahi and the Dean (Sponsored Research and Consultancy) of IIT Hyderabad in the presence of Prof. B.S. Murty, Director of IIT Hyderabad.

Focus Areas of Collaboration

The partnership represents a strong alliance between field expertise and academic excellence. Under this collaboration, NMDC and IIT Hyderabad will jointly work on:

• Iron ore beneficiation and agglomeration

• Green steel manufacturing technologies

• Alternative iron-making using indigenous raw materials

• Advanced modeling and simulation in mining and metallurgical processes

• Extraction of critical and rare earth minerals from primary and secondary sources

This initiative is expected to strengthen India’s mineral security and enhance resource availability.

Driving Digital Transformation in Mining

Aligned with rapid digital transformation in the mining sector, the MoU will also promote research and pilot projects in:

• Autonomous vehicle operations

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)

• Internet of Things (IoT)

• Mining 4.0 frameworks

• Drone-enabled surveying and monitoring

By integrating operational strength with research-driven innovation, the collaboration aims to deliver sustainable, technology-driven solutions that improve efficiency, productivity, and environmental management.

Leadership Statement

Commenting on the occasion, Amitabh Mukherjee, Chairman and Managing Director of NMDC, said that the partnership reinforces NMDC’s commitment to industry-academia collaboration.

He emphasized that leveraging IIT Hyderabad’s research excellence along with NMDC’s domain expertise will help accelerate indigenous technologies in mining, mineral processing, and emerging areas—contributing to sustainable development and the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

A Milestone Moment

The partnership comes at a historic time as NMDC’s R&D Centre completes 50 years of dedicated contribution to India’s mineral development journey. The MoU further strengthens its legacy of research excellence and continued technological advancement.

The collaboration underscores NMDC’s innovation-driven growth strategy and IIT Hyderabad’s pivotal role in translating research into impactful industrial applications, jointly contributing to India’s long-term mineral and industrial progress.

— NewsAdd Business & Industry Desk