Vedanta Limited (NSE: VEDL, BSE: 500295) is ending 2025 in the spotlight again—this time with a mix of hard catalysts (a regulatory green light for new drilling), structural narrative (the five-way demerger now formally approved), and macro tailwinds (precious metals—especially silver—going berserk).
As of Friday, December 26, 2025, Vedanta shares were trading around ₹602–₹603, with the stock up modestly on the day and hovering near a fresh 52-week high zone. [1]
Below is a complete roundup of the major news, broker forecasts, and market analyses shaping Vedanta stock today—plus the key “what happens next” items investors are tracking into early 2026.
Vedanta share price today: near record territory on thin year-end trade
Vedanta was quoted at about ₹602.75 in early afternoon trade (BSE), up around 0.78% versus the prior close. The stock’s 52-week high/low was listed around ₹607.65 / ₹362.20, underscoring how sharply sentiment has improved in the last year. [2]
On the day, data from broker platforms showed an intraday range stretching roughly ₹596.95 to ₹607.90, which puts Vedanta firmly in “breakout-watch” territory for traders and momentum funds. [3]
Part of the reason price moves can look “jumpy” this week: Indian benchmarks have been trading with thinner holiday liquidity. Reuters flagged that year-end participation is lower and markets are broadly range-bound without new triggers—meaning stock-specific news can punch above its weight. [4]
Today’s headline catalyst: Andhra Pradesh issues conditional NOC for 20 new onshore wells
The most concrete Vedanta-specific news on 26 December is operational:
The Andhra Pradesh government has issued a conditional “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) to Vedanta’s Cairn Oil & Gas division to drill 20 onshore wells in Krishna district. The company had sought NOC coverage for 35 locations, and the approval comes with strict operational safeguards. [5]
Key conditions highlighted in the government order (as reported by PTI/Economic Times):
- the NOC is temporary and issued from an irrigation perspective
- Vedanta must obtain all other required permissions before drilling
- no water can be drawn from irrigation canals or surface-water sources (including the Bandar Canal, canal networks, ponds, reservoirs, etc.) [6]
This matters for the stock because Cairn is a meaningful cash-flow engine inside Vedanta’s portfolio. The report notes Cairn contributes roughly a quarter of India’s domestic crude production and has stated a goal of lifting that contribution to 50% over time. [7]
Market takeaway: It’s not a blank cheque (conditions are tight), but it removes a real procedural bottleneck—exactly the kind of incremental clearance that can add up to higher production visibility.
Silver is doing silver things: Hindustan Zinc rally adds a tailwind to Vedanta sentiment
Another reason Vedanta is being watched today is what’s happening in its ecosystem—especially Hindustan Zinc (HZL), the listed subsidiary that sits at the heart of Vedanta’s “base metals” story.
On December 26, Economic Times reported Hindustan Zinc jumped to fresh record highs, extending a strong run over the last 10 sessions. The stated driver: silver prices crossing $75/oz and hitting new domestic highs as well. [8]
At the macro level, Reuters also flagged a record surge in spot silver (and record highs for gold), describing a year-end precious-metals rally that has remained stubbornly strong. [9]
Why this spills over into Vedanta:
- Vedanta’s post-demerger structure keeps the base metals business in the parent entity, and HZL remains a major value pillar. [10]
- Broker research has explicitly pointed to HZL’s leverage to rising silver prices and the fact that higher silver realizations can materially lift profitability. [11]
Market takeaway: Even if today’s big headline is oil & gas drilling permissions, silver strength is acting like a secondary jet engine under the broader “Vedanta value-unlocking + commodity tailwinds” narrative.
Vedanta demerger update: NCLT approval is in, and the clock is ticking toward March 2026
The dominant medium-term story for Vedanta stock remains the five-way demerger—and the core uncertainty (legal approval) has largely moved out of the way.
Reuters confirmed that India’s National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) approved Vedanta’s plan to split into five separately listed companies, with completion expected by March 31, 2026. [12]
What the post-demerger structure looks like (based on current disclosures)
After the split:
- Vedanta Limited continues as the base metals arm
- the carved-out entities include Vedanta Aluminium, Talwandi Sabo Power, Vedanta Steel and Iron, and Malco Energy [13]
Shareholder mechanics remain the simple part: for each Vedanta share held, investors are expected to receive one share in each demerged entity, preserving proportional ownership across the group. [14]
A critical nuance: why the demerger was contentious—and why approval matters
Coverage of the tribunal order noted the government had previously raised concerns around asset/disclosure issues; the NCLT’s approval, however, removes a major overhang while still leaving “conditions to complete” before the scheme becomes effective. [15]
Market takeaway: For a stock like Vedanta, where valuation has long been debated through the lens of “conglomerate discount,” the demerger acts like a narrative compressor—it forces markets to price individual cash flows rather than argue about the structure.
Analyst outlook: price targets cluster around ₹625–₹686, with demerger “value unlock” as the central thesis
Broker commentary over the past two weeks has been unusually aligned on one idea: the demerger is a value-unlocking event.
A Business Standard report summarised multiple bullish arguments:
- high-growth aluminium and power businesses may command better valuations as stand-alone entities
- demerger completion targeted for March 2026
- the brokerage commentary highlights expansion plans, operating efficiency improvements, and dividend appeal [16]
The target-price landscape (as of late December 2025)
Here’s how major published targets and “fair value” estimates currently stack up:
- ICICI Direct / ICICI Securities: reiterated BUY, revised target price ₹650 (SOTP-based), citing non-ferrous strength, expansion, controlled leverage, and dividend yield expectations [17]
- Kotak Institutional Equities: upgraded to Buy, raised target to ₹650 after NCLT nod (as reported by ET) [18]
- Nuvama (institutional): analysts cited in Business Standard pegged fair value ~₹686, with additional uplift potential once the split takes effect [19]
- Moneycontrol: noted brokers revising target prices around ₹635 after adjusting LME/FX assumptions and lifting FY26–FY28 EBITDA estimates [20]
Citi’s angle: “conglomerate discount” and the next legal milepost
An ETMarkets report citing Citi framed the trade as a demerger execution story: the split could narrow the conglomerate discount, with the near-term focus on approvals and asset/liability transfers (including mining leases). It also pointed to a January 7 hearing related to approvals still awaited for the Vedanta Power demerger. [21]
Market takeaway: The Street’s optimism isn’t built on one quarter of earnings—it’s built on structure. As long as the split remains on track, the stock is likely to keep reacting to each incremental “process milestone” (hearings, filings, asset transfers, record-date clarity).
Dividends, leverage and financial posture: the market still wants proof
Vedanta’s bull case tends to lean on two crowd-pleasers: cash returns and deleveraging optics.
A Business Standard snapshot currently lists Vedanta’s dividend yield around 7.27%, with valuation metrics (like P/E) that look “cheap” compared with many growth names—though commodity stocks are cheap until they’re not, which is the genre convention. [22]
On leverage, ICICI Direct’s note highlighted improving metrics, including net debt/EBITDA around 1.37x as of Sep 2025, and argued for continued cash-flow strength supporting both growth capex and dividends. [23]
Reuters also reported Vedanta’s total debt at ₹259.38 billion as of September 2025—important context because debt allocation and refinancing optics remain part of investor risk perception, especially given the group’s holding-company structure. [24]
Key risks and “watch points” for Vedanta stock from here
Even in a bullish tape, Vedanta remains a stock where the risk register is not decorative.
1) Demerger execution risk (paper approval vs. operational reality)
NCLT approval is a major step, but the market will now monitor:
- whether remaining conditions are met on time
- whether asset transfers and regulatory filings proceed smoothly
- whether timelines slip beyond March 2026 [25]
2) Commodity price whiplash
Silver headlines are supportive today, but Vedanta is still a diversified commodity player: aluminium, zinc, oil & gas, and steel dynamics can move in different directions. Broker notes explicitly flag metal-price declines as a key risk. [26]
3) Policy and regulatory friction
Today’s drilling NOC is positive—but it’s also a reminder that a meaningful part of Vedanta’s operating path runs through permitting, policy, and compliance conditions. [27]
4) Year-end liquidity distortions
With Reuters pointing to thin year-end trade and lower volumes, short-term moves (up or down) can be exaggerated relative to fundamentals. [28]
Bottom line: why Vedanta is trending on 26 December 2025
Vedanta stock is getting attention today for three clean reasons:
- Fresh operational news: Andhra’s conditional NOC for 20 onshore wells gives Cairn Oil & Gas a clearer path to incremental drilling. [29]
- Structural catalyst remains alive: the NCLT-approved five-way demerger is now a countdown story toward March 2026, with markets pricing “value unlock” probability. [30]
- Commodity tailwinds are loud: record silver pricing is boosting sentiment around Hindustan Zinc and, by extension, the Vedanta group’s base-metals value perception. [31]
This is the classic late-cycle commodity-market paradox: the story is simple (“unlock value + ride prices”), but the details are messy (execution, regulation, debt optics, and commodity volatility). The market will likely keep rewarding “proof points”—and punishing delays—until the demerger is actually done and trading.
References
1. www.business-standard.com, 2. www.business-standard.com, 3. upstox.com, 4. www.reuters.com, 5. m.economictimes.com, 6. m.economictimes.com, 7. m.economictimes.com, 8. m.economictimes.com, 9. www.reuters.com, 10. www.reuters.com, 11. www.icicidirect.com, 12. www.reuters.com, 13. www.reuters.com, 14. m.economictimes.com, 15. www.financialexpress.com, 16. www.business-standard.com, 17. www.icicidirect.com, 18. m.economictimes.com, 19. www.business-standard.com, 20. www.moneycontrol.com, 21. m.economictimes.com, 22. www.business-standard.com, 23. www.icicidirect.com, 24. www.reuters.com, 25. www.financialexpress.com, 26. www.icicidirect.com, 27. m.economictimes.com, 28. www.reuters.com, 29. m.economictimes.com, 30. www.reuters.com, 31. m.economictimes.com
