Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy calls for integrated raw material strategy to become global steel powerhouse at ‘India Steel 2025
Apr 26, 2025
Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, MoS Steel highlights Global Partnerships, Circular Economy, and R&D as 3 pillars of raw material resilience in Steel sector
3-day ‘India Steel 2025’ concludes with participation of over 1,000 Indian and international delegates; 9 sessions, including inaugural session; 5 paper presentations; and 14 roundtable discussions and over 200 exhibitors
MUMBAI, 26 April 2025 : At the prestigious ‘India Steel 2025’ platform today, Union Minister of Mines and Coal, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, emphasized the critical need for an integrated and forward-looking raw material strategy to secure India’s ambitions of becoming a global steel powerhouse. Delivering the Keynote Address at the session on ‘Raw Material Strategy and Shift in Raw Material Mix’ the Minister called upon industry stakeholders to prioritize innovation, sustainability, and strategic partnerships.
“Steel is the backbone of India’s economic growth and key driver of our collective vision of Viksit Bharat. From the world’s highest bridge—the Chenab bridge—to the Pamban bridge, India is setting new benchmarks in infrastructure projects. Over the last few years, the steel sector has shown tremendous growth, making India the world’s second-largest steel producer,” he added.
The Minister further emphasized the crucial role of the coal and mines sector in supporting this momentum. “If steel is the backbone of India’s economy, then coal and mines are the foundation. A robust raw material strategy is key to sustaining growth. We must secure consistent availability of essential raw materials like coking coal, limestone, iron ore, and critical elements such as magnesium, nickel, and chromium,” he emphasized.
Shri Reddy said, “For the steel sector to grow, the coal sector must grow alongside. It is essential to reduce imports and support India’s steel ambitions. The government launched Mission Coking Coal to reduce coal import dependency, targeting 140 million tons of domestic coking coal, blending from 10% to 30% in steel making by 2030,” he added and urged the industry to set up new washeries and developing new technologies to further strengthen India’s efforts.
Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, Hon’ble Minister of State for Steel, Govt of India , reaffirmed the government's resolve to enable a resilient raw material ecosystem through progressive policies and public-private collaboration. “We need to focus on 3 pillars- first, Geopolitical partnerships for diverse sourcing of raw material. This will ensure high quality supply for our producers. Second, Circular economy to maximize scrap and by products. As steel is recyclable such practices will help both from environment perspective and reduces our reliance on primary raw materials, and third, breakthrough in R&D to unlock domestic reserves.”
Shri Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Government of India said, “While we are aiming at creating 300 mn tons capacity by 2030. At present we are 200 mn ton production capacity. To add further 100 mn ton of capacity, our iron ore requirement will go to about 450 mn tons, coal requirement will go to about 160 mn tons. Ministry of mines is already working on a proposal to incentivize beneficiation.”
Smt. Aruna Sharma, former secretary, Ministry of Steel Govt. of India stated that beneficiation is very important to use the low quality of iron ore. She expressed concern over low usage of mineral at national level.
Shri Amitava Mukherjee, CMD, NMDC said that the increasing extraction of iron ore to meet domestic demand necessitates the effective utilization of low-grade iron ore. This approach is essential for maintaining cost control and ensuring raw material security.
HE Bobylev Petr, Director of Coal Industry Development Department, Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation said, “At the outset of the century the coal consumption worldwide was not more than 4.5 bn tons and last year it amounted to 9 bn tons per annum which shows more than double fold increase. Today we see that one third of the overall power output in the world is produced using coal, 75% of the steel around the world is manufactured using coal energy and 90% cement manufactured using coal. In 2021 the ministry of steel, government of India and ministry of energy of the Russian federation on the side-lines of the Russian energy week in Moscow signed a memorandum of cooperation and understanding setting the goal to increase the supply coking coal from Russia to India 240 mn tons.”
During the day, a ‘Round Table Interaction focused on the secondary steel sector and its future path’ was held. The session featured distinguished speakers including Shri Anwesh Majumder, Associate Director, Deloitte; Shri Sanjay Mehta, President, Material Recycling Association of India; Shri Paramjeet Singh, Director, National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology; and Shri Stefano Pari, COO, Region APAC & MEA, SMS Group. The keynote address was delivered by Shri S.K. Verma, Chairman and Managing Director, MECON. Another significant session, the Country Round Table on Raw Materials, Diversification, and Security, featured insights from Shri Sanjay Singh, Shri Rajib Maitra, Partner, Deloitte; Shri Sanjay Roy, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Government of India.
“India steel-2025” 3 days conference cum exhibition concluded with a panel discussion on digital technology and steel industry with respect to steel making and digitalization. This panel discussion addressed by Shri Amarendu Prakash, Chair FICCI steel committee and Chairman, Steel Authority of India Ltd., Shri Vinod Kumar Tripathi, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel, Govt. of India, Shri Pinak Dattaray, Founder & CEO, Ripik.Ai, Shri Stefano Pari, COO, Region APAC & MEA, SMS Group, Shri Joern Arndt, Founder & CEO, Ronmas GmbH. Session was moderated by Shri Abhrajit Ray, Partner, Deloitte
The 3-day ‘India Steel 2025’ event, jointly organized by the Ministry of Steel and FICCI, concluded on a high note with an overwhelming response from Indian and international participants and exhibitors. The exhibition saw the participation of over 1,000 delegates, over 200 exhibitors and featured 9 sessions which included over 150 speakers from India and other countries, including the inaugural session, 5 paper presentations, and 14 roundtable discussions covering key subjects, states, and countries. A total of 3 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) were signed during the event, highlighting the growing opportunities and collaborations within the steel sector.