HD Kumaraswamy, Union Minister for Metal and Heavy Industries
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The Hindu
India’s Metal Ministry “is monitoring” the affect of 12 per cent safeguard responsibility imposition on steel shipments from China and Vietnam, says Union Minister, HD Kumaraswamy. Though short-term, the responsibility was mandatory to guard home trade from “critical harm” in view of the sharp surge.
Protecting measures resembling anti-dumping responsibility have additionally been imposed on choose choices coming in from the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Singapore, he provides.
Commerce negotiations are additionally ongoing with the US, whilst Ministry PSUs are exploring acquisition of steel-making feedstock assets overseas.
In an interview to businessline, Kumaraswamy talks about coping with metal import issues, anticipated home demand progress in FY26, pushing PSUs in the direction of abroad acquisitions for guaranteeing uncooked materials safety; and inexperienced metal making.
Edited excerpts:
India has lastly imposed a safeguard responsibility of 12 per cent on metal import. Your feedback.
Safeguard responsibility is a short lived measure to supply quick reduction to home producers and guarantee a degree enjoying discipline within the metal sector. Below the management of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, a 12 per cent responsibility on choose metal imports for 200 days was imposed. The DGTR has discovered a pointy and sudden surge in imports of the topic items, inflicting and threatening critical harm to the home trade. Given the essential circumstances, it has advisable quick provisional safeguard measures to stop irreparable harm. Safeguard will assist our home producers compete pretty by neutralizing the affect of cheaper imports that might in any other case flood the market and destabilize costs. It ensures that Indian producers get the respiration area they should maintain manufacturing, keep employment, and proceed investing in capability and expertise. It’s not a long-term measure, however a mandatory step to stop harm to the home trade throughout instances of worldwide value volatility or dumping.
Contemplating imports are at a 10-year excessive, will the Ministry nonetheless push for 20 per cent safeguard responsibility and increase scope to different nations
A 12 per cent safeguard responsibility has already been imposed on choose steel imports for 200 days, efficient from April 21, 2025. The quick focus is on monitoring its affect on the home market. Sometimes, safeguard responsibility is decided based mostly on the extent of harm prompted to the home trade and follows an in depth investigation performed by the DGTR.
Safeguards apply to China and Vietnam. However there’s additionally rising pattern of imports from different FTA nations like Japan and Korea. Any urged or doable corrective motion?
The Indian metal trade is dealing with important strain because of a surge in low-cost imports, primarily from China, which adversely affect the profitability and the growth plans of home producers. Safeguard and anti-dumping duties have been imposed on sure merchandise resembling electro-galvanized metal imported from the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Singapore guaranteeing a degree enjoying discipline for Indian producers. Concerted efforts are on to enhance competitiveness of the home metal trade and cut back reliance on imports. This contains the PLI Scheme for Specialty Metal to advertise home manufacturing, enforcement of Metal High quality Management Orders to stop sub-standard imports, and stricter authorities procurement coverage to encourage ‘Make in India’ choices.
What kind of negotiations are underway for higher entry to US markets?
India continues to have interaction with the US to attain enhancement and broadening of bilateral commerce ties in a mutually helpful and truthful method. Each nations have reaffirmed their dedication to deepening financial ties. Below “Mission 500”, each nations goal to greater than double Indo-US commerce to $ 500 billion by 2030 by deepening commerce relationship throughout a number of sectors together with metal.
For FY26, how is metal demand anticipated to be in India?
Metal demand in FY26 is anticipated to develop steadily at about 11 – 12 per cent (y-o-y), with the authorities’s infrastructure push, particularly beneath the PM Gati Shakti Grasp Plan and industrial hall tasks. We’re additionally seeing sturdy urbanization-led demand. Moreover, automotive and core industries proceed to additional push metal consumption.
A significant concern continues to be sourcing coking coal, the place India is import dependent. Any diversification plans?
To cut back over dependency on Australia, India is actively pursuing diversification of its coking coal imports. This strategic transfer is available in response to the roughly 70 million tonnes (mt) consumed yearly by Indian metal corporations. Potential different sources being explored embody Africa, the USA and Mongolia. It indicators a proactive method to strengthening the resilience and cost-effectiveness of the home metal trade’s uncooked materials provide.Two metal PSUs, NMDC and MOIL are within the means of buying and growing mining property in international nations.
What kind of acquisitions are these?
Sure, the Indian authorities is actively encouraging PSUs to accumulate mining property overseas, significantly for essential minerals, to make sure a steady provide of important uncooked supplies and cut back import dependence. Two PSUs beneath our ministry (NMDC and MOIL) are actively exploring alternatives for buying mining property — together with iron ore, manganese ore, and different essential minerals —in areas like Africa, Australia, Russia and different strategic geographies.Two PSUs beneath our ministry (NMDC and MOIL) are actively exploring alternatives for buying mining property — together with iron ore, manganese ore, and different essential minerals —in areas like Africa, Australia, Russia and different strategic geographies
Will there be a push in the direction of greener metal making?
Decarbonization of the metal trade is a strategic precedence. In keeping with the COP26 pledge to cut back carbon depth by over 45 per cent by 2030, the Ministry is actively working to cut back CO₂ emissions within the sector and promote clear power. Key steps embody the discharge of the Taxonomy for Inexperienced Metal defining low-emission metal and a complete roadmap and motion plan. Seven pilot tasks have been awarded beneath the Nationwide Inexperienced Hydrogen Mission to introduce hydrogen in steel-making. Moreover, the Nationwide Photo voltaic Mission helps renewable power use within the trade.
Revealed on Could 4, 2025