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Technology, artificial intelligence (AI), digitalisation and credible data can help transform India's mining and metals sector by improving transparency, productivity, safety and responsible resource management, Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, said on Friday.
Addressing the third edition of the FICCI conference on Digitalisation, AI, Automation and Technology Integration in Mining and Metals, Patra said technology can enable better monitoring, more transparent decision-making and more effective use of resources, while strengthening accountability across the sector. Technology, including AI and digitalisation, has the potential to transform the mining sector by enabling better monitoring, more transparent decision-making and responsible resource management, Patra said. He said data-driven and technology-enabled mining could improve operational, environmental and productive efficiencies and strengthen engagement between mining companies and communities. Technology and data, he added, can serve as a bridge between the industry and society. Dinesh Mahur, Additional Secretary, Defence Production, Ministry of Defence, said India's ambition of becoming a technologically advanced and self-reliant manufacturing economy was closely linked to the strength of its mining, metals and materials ecosystem. He said mining and metals were not merely suppliers of basic raw materials but formed the foundation for strategic and high-technology industries, with critical minerals and advanced materials being important for electronics, energy systems, aerospace and defence applications. Mahur said the future of defence manufacturing would increasingly depend on technological capabilities across the entire value chain, from materials and components to subsystems, platforms and integrated systems. He also highlighted the growing role of private industry, MSMEs and startups, noting that more than 15,000 MSMEs and startups are connected with India's defence ecosystem. He encouraged mining and technology companies to explore opportunities in the country's Defence Industrial Corridors and called for greater collaboration among mining and metals companies, defence manufacturers, technology firms, startups and the government. S K Roongta, Mentor, FICCI Non-Ferrous Metals Committee, said technology and startup-led innovation were becoming strategic business tools for the mining and metals industry. He highlighted applications such as predictive maintenance, autonomous and remotely operated equipment, drones, GPS-enabled fleet management, simulation tools and AI-enabled productivity solutions. Sanjay Singh, Former Secretary, Ministry of Steel, said AI and automation should be deployed with a focus on meaningful outcomes and human judgement, while stressing resource efficiency, environmental restoration and technology-led approaches to reducing the environmental footprint of mining and steel production. The conference brought together policymakers, industry leaders, technology companies, startups, researchers and other stakeholders to discuss the role of AI, automation, digitalisation and advanced technologies in transforming India's mining and metals value chain. (ANI)
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