C M Y K Letter of Offer September 13, 2008 For Equity Shareholders of the Company Only HINDALCO INDUSTRIES LIMITED (Originally incorporated on December 15, 1958 under the Companies Act, 1956 as Hindustan Aluminium Corporation Limited and the name was changed to Hindalco Industries Limited with effect from October 9, 1989) Registered Office: Century Bhavan, 3rd Floor, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, India Tel: +91 22 6662 6666; Fax: +91 22 2422 7586/2436 2516 Corporate Office: Aditya Birla Centre, S.K. Ahire Marg, Worli, Mumbai 400 030, India Contact Person: Mr. Anil Malik, Company Secretary and Compliance Officer E-mail: [email protected]; Website: www.hindalco.com FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION TO THE EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS OF THE COMPANY ONLY LETTER OF OFFER ISSUE OF 525,802,403 EQUITY SHARES WITH A FACE VALUE OF Re. 1 EACH AT A PREMIUM OF Rs. 95 PER EQUITY SHARE AGGREGATING Rs. 50,477.03 MILLION TO THE EXISTING EQUITY SHAREHOLDERS ON RIGHTS BASIS IN THE RATIO OF THREE EQUITY SHARES FOR EVERY SEVEN EXISTING EQUITY SHARES HELD BY THE EXISTING SHAREHOLDERS ON THE RECORD DATE, i.e., SEPTEMBER 5, 2008 (THE “ISSUE”). THE ISSUE PRICE IS 96 TIMES OF THE FACE VALUE OF THE EQUITY SHARES. THIS BEING A FAST TRACK ISSUE UNDER CLAUSE 2.1.2A OF THE SEBI (DISCLOSURE AND INVESTOR PROTECTION) GUIDELINES, 2000, AS AMENDED, THE COMPANY HAS FILED THIS LETTER OF OFFER WITH THE DESIGNATED STOCK EXCHANGE WITH A COPY TO SEBI. GENERAL RISKS Investments in equity and equity related securities involve a degree of risk and Investors should not invest any funds in this Issue unless they can afford to take the risk of losing their investment. Investors are advised to read the Risk Factors carefully before taking an investment decision in this Issue. For taking an investment decision, Investors must rely on their own examination of the Issuer and the Issue including the risks involved. The securities have not been recommended or approved by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) nor does SEBI guarantee the accuracy or adequacy of this document. Investors are advised to refer to “Risk Factors” on page xiii of this Letter of Offer before making an investment in this Issue. ISSUER’S ABSOLUTE RESPONSIBILITY The Issuer, having made all reasonable inquiries, accepts responsibility for and confirms that this Letter of Offer contains all information with regard to the Issuer and the Issue, which is material in the context of this Issue, that the information contained in this Letter of Offer is true and correct in all material respects and is not misleading in any material respect, that the opinions and intentions expressed herein are honestly held and that there are no other facts, the omission of which makes this Letter of Offer as a whole or any such information or the expression of any such opinions or intentions misleading in any material respect. LISTING The existing Equity Shares of the Company are listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange Limited (“BSE”) and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited (“NSE”). The Company has received “in-principle” approvals from BSE and the NSE for listing the Equity Shares arising from this Issue vide their letters dated August 25, 2008. For the purposes of the Issue, the Designated Stock Exchange shall be NSE. Global Depository Receipts, which represent the Equity Shares of the Company, are listed on the Luxemburg Stock Exchange. LEAD MANAGERS TO THE ISSUE REGISTRAR TO THE ISSUE ABN AMRO Securities Citigroup Global Markets Deutsche Equities India DSP Merrill Lynch Limited SBI Capital Markets Karvy Computershare (India) Private Limited India Private Limited Private Limited Mafatlal Centre Limited Private Limited 81 Sakhar Bhavan 12th Floor, Bakhtawar DB House 10th Floor 202, Maker Towers “Cyber Ville” Plot no 17 - 24 Nariman Point Nariman Point Hazarimal Somani Marg Nariman Point ‘E’ Cuffe Parade Near Image Hospital Lane Mumbai 400 021 Mumbai 400 021 Fort, Mumbai 400 001 Mumbai 400 021 Mumbai 400 005 Vittal Rao Nagar Tel: +91 22 6632 5535 Tel: +91 22 6631 9999 Tel: +91 22 6658 4600 Tel: +91 22 6632 8000 Tel: +91 22 2217 8300 Madhapur Hyderabad 500 081 Fax: +91 22 6632 5541 Fax: +91 22 6646 6670 Fax: +91 22 2200 6765 Fax: +91 22 2204 8518 Fax: +91 22 2218 8332 Toll free no: 1-800-345-4001 Email: Email: [email protected] Email : Tel: +91 40 2342 0815 E-mail: [email protected] Email: [email protected] [email protected] Investor Grievance Id: [email protected] Fax: +91 40 2342 0814 Investor Grievance ID: Investor Grievance Id: [email protected] Investor Grievance ID: Investor Grievance ID: Email: [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] website: www.db.com/India [email protected] [email protected] Website: www.karvy.com Website: www.abnamro.co.in Website: www.citibank.co.in Contact person: Website: www.dspml.com Website : www.sbicaps.com Contact Person: Contact person: Mr. Vivek Agarwal Contact Person: Mr. Rajiv Jumani Mr. Muffazal Arsiwalla Contact Person: Mr. Tanuj More Contact Person: Mr. Ajay Srivastava Mr. M. Murali Krishna SEBI Registration: SEBI Registration: SEBI Registration: SEBI Registration: SEBI Registration: SEBI Registration: INM000010551 INM000010718 INM000010833 INM000002236 INM000003531 INR000000221 ISSUE PROGRAMME ISSUE OPENS ON LAST DATE FOR REQUEST FOR ISSUE CLOSES ON SPLIT APPLICATION FORMS SEPTEMBER 22, 2008 OCTOBER 01, 2008 OCTOBER 10, 2008 C M Y K TABLE OF CONTENTS EXCHANGE RATES...................................................................................................................................V ABBREVIATIONS AND TECHNICAL TERMS ................................................................................... IX RISK FACTORS ..................................................................................................................................... XIII SUMMARY................................................................................................................................................... 1 THE ISSUE ................................................................................................................................................... 9 SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION........................................................................................... 10 RECENT DEVELOPMENTS ................................................................................................................... 15 GENERAL INFORMATION.................................................................................................................... 21 CAPITAL STRUCTURE........................................................................................................................... 28 OBJECTS OF THE ISSUE........................................................................................................................ 39 BASIS FOR ISSUE PRICE ....................................................................................................................... 42 INDUSTRY OVERVIEW.......................................................................................................................... 45 OUR BUSINESS......................................................................................................................................... 57 REGULATIONS AND POLICIES ........................................................................................................... 87 HISTORY OF OUR COMPANY AND OTHER CORPORATE MATTERS...................................... 92 DIVIDENDS.............................................................................................................................................. 102 MANAGEMENT...................................................................................................................................... 103 OUR SUBSIDIARIES .............................................................................................................................. 119 RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS.................................................................................................. 146 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ................................................................................................................. 147 STOCK MARKET DATA FOR EQUITY SHARES OF OUR COMPANY ...................................... 148 MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS ................................................................................................................ 150 SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INDIAN GAAP AND US GAAP ... 177 DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN INDEBTEDNESS ............................................................................... 185 OUTSTANDING LITIGATIONS AND DEFAULTS ........................................................................... 188 GOVERNMENT APPROVALS ............................................................................................................. 264 STATUTORY AND OTHER INFORMATION.................................................................................... 267 TERMS OF THE ISSUE ......................................................................................................................... 282 MAIN PROVISIONS OF THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION....................................................... 306 MATERIAL CONTRACTS AND DOCUMENTS FOR INSPECTION............................................. 322 DECLARATION .....................................................................................................................................