State-owned MOIL Limited has achieved its best-ever production performance in FY 2026, producing 14.21 lakh tonnes of manganese ore in the first nine months from April to December 2025, reflecting an impressive 6.8 percent increase over the corresponding period of the previous financial year. During the third quarter of FY 2025-26, the company produced 4.77 lakh tonnes of manganese ore, registering a growth of nearly 3.7 percent compared to the same period last year. This marks the highest production achieved by MOIL in any third quarter since its inception, demonstrating the company's strengthened operational capabilities under enhanced leadership.
Complementing this operational success, MOIL Limited has appointed Vishwanath Suresh as its chairman and managing director, with the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) officially approving the appointment effective from January 7, 2026. Following this appointment, Suresh has been relieved from his roles at both NMDC Limited and NMDC Steel Limited and has ceased to be a director on both company boards from the same date, according to latest corporate updates. The former Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) executive, who previously served as Director (Commercial) at NMDC Limited, brings extensive experience across key segments of India's mining and steel ecosystem to lead India's largest producer of manganese ore during this period of record performance.
The strong production performance has been attributed to focused mine planning, strict operational discipline, enhanced mechanization and the dedicated efforts of employees across all operating units. Although production recorded notable increases, sales and exploration figures showed marginal declines compared to last year. Nevertheless, MOIL's overall operational outlook remains robust as the company continues to strengthen its production capabilities. Under Suresh's leadership, the company is expected to leverage his extensive experience in commercial operations to support the growing needs of the Indian steel sector through strategic expansion initiatives, ensuring steady availability of manganese - a vital input for steel manufacturing.
Following Suresh's departure, the updated board composition of NMDC Limited now includes Shri Amitava Mukherjee as Chairman & Managing Director, Shri Vinay Kumar as Director (Technical), Shri Joydeep Dasgupta as Director (Production), and Smt. Priyadarshini Gaddam as Director (Personnel) & Director (Finance) additional charge. The board also comprises government nominees including Shri Ashish Chatterjee as Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor from the Ministry of Steel, and Shri Abhijit Narendra as Joint Secretary from the Ministry of Steel. According to NMDC, this change aligns with corporate governance norms and SEBI (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, ensuring transparency and effective management oversight.
Suresh will serve as chairman and managing director from the date he assumes charge until his superannuation on August 31, 2030, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. MOIL stated that Suresh is not related to any director or key managerial personnel of the company and is not barred by any regulatory authority from holding the position. The appointment does not involve any disqualification under the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013. With the company achieving record production levels and new leadership in place, MOIL is positioned to maintain its growth momentum and continue strengthening its production capabilities in the coming quarters, supporting India's mineral security and steel industry requirements.
