Vedanta Limited has delivered exceptional production performance in Q3FY26, achieving record quarterly and nine-month production levels across its key aluminium and alumina operations. The oil-to-metals conglomerate announced its production results for the third quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2025, reporting record output across multiple businesses with significant growth recorded across various segments.

Record-Breaking Aluminium and Alumina Performance

The company achieved its highest-ever quarterly aluminium production of 620kt, representing a 1% year-on-year increase, while alumina production reached a record 794kt, marking a substantial 57% YoY growth. The nine-month performance was equally impressive, with aluminium production totaling 1,842kt (+1% YoY) and alumina reaching 2,034kt (+32% YoY).

The outstanding alumina performance was driven by the commissioning of Train II at the Lanjigarh refinery, while aluminium production benefited from operational efficiencies at the Jharsuguda facility.

Zinc Operations Achieve New Milestones

Zinc India operations delivered their best-ever third quarter performance, with mined metal production reaching 276kt (+4% YoY) and saleable metal production hitting 270kt (+4% YoY). The strong performance was attributed to higher ore production and the commissioning of debottlenecking projects at Chanderiya and Dariba facilities.

Zinc International operations also performed well, with total mined metal production of 59kt representing a 28% YoY increase, primarily driven by higher throughput at Gamsberg operations where production rose 40%.

Power Segment Delivers Strong Growth

The power segment achieved remarkable growth with sales increasing 40% YoY to 4,530 million units in Q3FY26. This performance was supported by the successful commissioning and ramp-up of the Athena 600MW and Meenakshi 1000MW power plants.

Athena achieved a plant load factor of 72% in Q3FY26 after commencing commercial operations, while Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd's availability stood at 76% during the quarter.

Operational Improvements Across Other Segments

Several other business segments demonstrated strong performance improvements. Steel finished production reached 325kt, achieving the highest-ever quarterly billet production of 285kt driven by improved operational efficiency. Iron ore saleable production increased 3% YoY to 1.6 million tonnes, while pig iron production rose 6% to 229kt.

FACOR reported ore production of 103kt, up 54% YoY, and ferrochrome production of 24kt, up 32%, supported by the restart of Kalarangiatta Mines. Copper India operations marked their highest quarterly cathode production in seven years at 45kt. Oil and gas operations maintained average daily gross operated production of 84.9 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day, with total production for the quarter at 7.8 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Strategic Positioning and Market Performance

Vedanta's Q3FY26 results underscore the company's position as a global leader in critical minerals and transition metals. As the world's largest integrated zinc producer, fourth-largest global silver producer, and one of the top aluminium producers globally, the company continues to play a pivotal role in supplying essential materials for the energy transition. The strong operational performance was reflected in the stock price, with shares ending at ₹616.55, up by ₹2.31 or 13.90% on the BSE.

Standard Engineering Technology Limited has received another pledge disclosure from its promoter group entity Standard Holdings under SEBI Takeover Code compliance requirements. This separate pledge arrangement involves personal borrowing by the promoter group, distinct from the earlier S2 Engineering Services pledge.

New Pledge Transaction Details

Promoter group entity Standard Holdings, represented by partners Kandula Krishna Veni and Kandula Ramakrishna, has pledged 42,57,144 equity shares of the company on December 31, 2025. The pledge was created with two lenders for a total borrowing amount of ₹27.30 crores for personal use.

Lender-wise Distribution

The pledge arrangement involves two established financial institutions with different borrowing amounts and share allocations.

Standard Holdings Shareholding Structure

The pledged shares represent a significant portion of Standard Holdings' total holding in the company. Standard Holdings holds 46,01,481 equity shares, constituting 2.30% of the company's total share capital.

Security and Valuation Metrics

The pledge arrangement demonstrates strong security cover for the borrowing. The value of pledged shares provides adequate margin for the lenders with a comfortable security ratio.

Regulatory Compliance Framework

The disclosure was made in compliance with SEBI takeover regulations and listing obligations. The company confirmed that the borrowing is for personal use by the promoter and will not benefit the listed company or its subsidiaries.

The pledge does not trigger significant regulatory thresholds as it represents less than 50% of promoter shareholding and less than 20% of total share capital. Both Bajaj Finance Limited and Tata Capital Limited are established financial institutions, ensuring regulatory compliance for the financing structure.