His first opportunity came when the government announced a disinvestment program. In 2001, he acquired 51 percent in Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO) for an amount of INR 551.50 crore,^[15] a public sector undertaking; in the very next year, he acquired a majority stake (nearly 65 per cent) in state-run HZL(Hindustan Zinc Limited). Both the companies were considered sleepy and inefficient mining firms.^[16]

To access international capital markets, Anil Agarwal and his team incorporated Vedanta Resources Plc in 2003 in London. At the time of its listing, Vedanta Resources Plc, was the first Indian firm to be listed on London Stock Exchange, on 10 December 2003,^[17] Vedanta Resources became the parent company of the group through a process of internal restructuring of group companies and their shareholding.

In 2004 Vedanta Resources Plc announced a global bond offering^[18] and acquired Konkola Copper Mines in Zambia, Africa.^[19] In 2007, Vedanta Resources acquired a controlling stake in Sesa Goa Limited, India’s largest producer-exporter of iron ore,^[20] and in 2010, the company acquired South African miner Anglo American’s portfolio of zinc assets in Namibia, Ireland and South Africa.^[21] The next year, Vedanta Resources acquired controlling stake in Cairn India, India’s largest private sector oil-producing firm.^[22] The merger of Sesa Goa and Sterlite Industries was announced in 2012, as part of the Vedanta Group’s consolidation.^[23]

Vedanta Resources, headquartered in London, is a globally diversified natural resources conglomerate, with interests in zinc, lead, silver, copper, iron ore, aluminium, power generation, and oil and gas.^[24] The greatest share of its assets, however, is in India; Agarwal lives in London.

In October 2017, it was announced that Agrawal’s Volcan Holdings Plc had taken a 19% stake in mining company Anglo American, making him biggest shareholder of the company.^[25]

According to The Sunday Times Rich List in 2020 his net worth was estimated at £8.5 billion.^[26]

According to Forbes Vedanta and Foxconn would jointly invest about $20 billion in 2022 to build semiconductor and display plants in the Indian state of Gujarat, with Vendanta having 60% stakes in the venture.^[27]