Nalco's alumina exports to West Asia affected due to geopolitical tensions, says CMD

State-run National Aluminium Company Ltd's exports to West Asia have been affected by geopolitical tensions in the region, according to its CMD, Brijendra Pratap Singh. West Asia accounts for 40-50 per cent of the company's alumina shipments. National Aluminium Company (Nalco) also said that a shift in export destinations due to supply disruptions in West Asia has contributed to a decline in global spot alumina prices, which have now fallen to USD 305-310 per tonne. Alumina is a white, granular material refined from bauxite ore, primarily used as the feedstock for producing aluminium. The Nalco Chairman and Managing Director, in the earnings conference call, said, ''Our alumina export to the Middle East ... a lot of around 40 per cent, 50 per cent of our export was going to the Middle East, which has been affected. But now, from Indonesia and other places also, orders are there. Of course, that has resulted in a reduction in the spot prices.'' Nalco further said that smelters in West Asia are currently operating at reduced capacity and will not reach full capacity immediately. ''So once these smelters of the Middle East, the production curtailment is there till they reach the fullest capacity, there will be an effect on the alumina pricing in the spot markets,'' the company said. The aluminium value chain has been affected by the West Asia conflict, as spot alumina prices have dropped in some regions due to oversupply, while refined aluminium prices have surged due to production shutdowns and shipping disruptions, analysts said. Nalco produced 23 lakh tonnes of alumina in 2025-26, of which 13.08 lakh tonnes were exported. Nalco reported a 16.6 per cent drop in consolidated net profit to Rs 1,722.44 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2026, on the back of lower revenue and higher expenses. The company had posted a consolidated profit of Rs 2,067.23 crore in the year-ago period. Revenue declined to Rs 5,012.82 crore in the fourth quarter of FY26, compared to Rs 5,267.83 crore in the year-ago period. National Aluminium Company Ltd is one of India's leading integrated aluminium complexes, with operations in bauxite mining, alumina refining, aluminium smelting, power generation, and coal mining.

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