NMDC FY26 production hits record 53.15 MT iron ore

Record year for a government-owned miner

NMDC, a Ministry of Steel-owned company, reported its highest-ever iron ore production in FY 2025-26, according to a ministry press release dated April 3. The release put total production at 53.15 million tonnes (MT) and sales at 50.23 MT. The ministry also said NMDC became the first company in India’s mining history to cross the 50 MT annual production mark. The milestone matters because NMDC is a large contributor to national iron ore availability and regularly sets the tone for supply trends in the domestic market. It also underlines how operational performance at a few large mines can move overall volumes for the sector.

What the Steel Ministry said about FY26 volumes

The Ministry of Steel said NMDC’s total production output reached 53.15 MT in FY26, a 21% increase. Sales reached 50.23 MT, a 13% jump, which the ministry described as its best volumes since inception. The press release framed FY26 as a year where both production and sales expanded meaningfully, indicating not just higher mining output but also improved offtake. The ministry did not provide a revenue figure, but it positioned the volume growth as the key indicator of performance. The company is fully owned by the Government of India and operates under the administrative control of the Ministry of Steel.

March performance: sharp year-on-year jump

The ministry’s release highlighted March as a strong month for NMDC. Iron ore production in March was reported at 5.35 MT, up 51% year-on-year. It also cited a 40% growth over the corresponding year in iron ore sales for the month, though it did not disclose the March sales volume in tonnes. March is often an important month for annual performance, and the reported jump suggests a strong finish to the fiscal year. These details were presented as supporting evidence for the full-year record.

Mines that drove the record output

The Steel Ministry attributed the robust performance to NMDC’s major iron ore mines recording their best-ever results. It named Kirandul and Bacheli in Chhattisgarh and Donimalai in Karnataka as the key operations behind the record year. These mines form the core of NMDC’s iron ore base and have historically accounted for a large part of its output. The statement linked the record volumes to operational performance at these sites rather than to any one-off factor.

Expansion steps cited: Dubai office, Jharkhand coal mine, Deposit 4

The ministry said FY26 was also a “defining year of expansion and transformation” for NMDC. It cited three developments: inauguration of an international office in Dubai, successful operationalisation of the first coal mine in Jharkhand, and commissioning of Deposit 4 at Bailadila in Chhattisgarh. The release framed these moves as strengthening production capability and supporting a diversification strategy. While the press note did not quantify how much each initiative contributed to FY26 output, it presented them as structural steps that broaden NMDC’s operating footprint beyond its established mining base.

A longer view: output growth since 1978 and since 2015

Another part of the provided material described NMDC’s production journey over decades. It said NMDC was founded 48 years ago and started with an output of 10 MT in 1978. It also said production rose to 44 MT in FY 2024-25. The same material noted that production has increased by nearly 66% since 2015, from about 30 MT to 50 MT. Separately, the ministry press release reported FY26 production at 53.15 MT, indicating the company moved beyond the 50 MT level during FY26.

Q1 FY26: production up 30.5%, sales up 14%

NMDC also disclosed provisional operational data for the first quarter of FY26 under Regulation 30 of the SEBI (LODR) Regulations. For April to June 2025, cumulative iron ore production stood at 11.99 MT, up 30.5% year-on-year from 9.19 MT. Cumulative sales for the quarter were 11.51 MT, up 14% from 10.07 MT in the year-ago period. The material also stated that NMDC contributes around 17% to 20% of India’s total iron ore production, highlighting its role in the wider supply chain.

June and July 2025: month-by-month operating trend

For June 2025, NMDC reported production of 3.57 MT, up 5.93% from 3.37 MT in June 2024. Sales for June 2025 were 3.58 MT, down 4.02% from 3.73 MT in June 2024. For July 2025, the company reported production of 3.09 MT, up 42.40% from 2.17 MT in July last year. July sales volumes rose 13.07% to 3.46 MT from 3.06 MT. The data points to a strong production rebound in July after a more modest year-on-year rise in June.

Key figures at a glance

Regional split: Chhattisgarh and Karnataka operations

Operational data in the provided material also showed how output was split between NMDC’s two main mining regions. In July 2025, Chhattisgarh mines produced 1.89 MT and recorded sales of 2.15 MT, while Karnataka mines produced 1.20 MT and sold 1.31 MT. For June 2025, Chhattisgarh production was 2.28 MT (2.21 MT in June 2024) and sales were 2.34 MT (2.68 MT in June 2024). Karnataka production for June 2025 was 1.29 MT (1.16 MT in June 2024) and sales were 1.24 MT (1.05 MT in June 2024).

Market impact and why these updates matter

High-frequency production and sales updates from NMDC are closely tracked because the company is a large, state-owned supplier in the domestic iron ore ecosystem. The FY26 numbers reported by the Steel Ministry point to stronger annual supply, while the Q1 FY26 growth rates show momentum at the start of the year. The June and July trend also matters for assessing how quickly production and dispatches are moving through the system. With NMDC described as contributing 17% to 20% of India’s iron ore production, changes in its volumes can influence availability for steelmakers and other industrial users.

Conclusion

NMDC’s FY26 performance, as described by the Steel Ministry, sets a new high watermark with production at 53.15 MT and sales at 50.23 MT. The same set of disclosures shows strong early FY26 momentum, with Q1 production at 11.99 MT and sales at 11.51 MT. The ministry also highlighted operational strength at Kirandul, Bacheli and Donimalai, alongside expansion steps such as a Dubai office, a coal mine in Jharkhand, and commissioning of Deposit 4 at Bailadila. Investors and industry participants will continue to watch monthly disclosures for confirmation that the higher run-rate is sustained across the year.