India’s metal sector is navigating international headwinds with resilience and objective, mentioned Union Minister for Metal, HD Kumaraswamy. The plan now’s to place the nation as a worldwide metal hub, with a give attention to sustainable green-steel making.
Following continued oversupply and weak export market sentiments, India swiftly imposed safeguard duties and adopted up with strict high quality management measures to guard the home trade.
In an interview with businessline, Kumaraswamy mentioned about positioning India as a worldwide metal hub, tapping new export markets, the push for inexperienced metal and new PLI schemes.
Metal costs in India continued to fall at the very least till July, regardless of the safeguard measures. Your feedback.
Home metal costs have been dealing with momentary stress over international overcapacity, rising inventories and attainable diversion of exports following larger US tariffs. Seasonal components, together with the monsoon-linked slowdown in development exercise, have additionally added to this short-term development.
The Authorities has proactively carried out a 12 per cent provisional safeguard obligation from April 21, 2025, on sure non-alloy and alloy metal flat merchandise for 200 days to guard the home trade. It has helped deliver down imports considerably.
In the meantime, measures just like the Metal High quality Management Order have been enforced to forestall the entry of sub-standard merchandise, and commerce flows are being intently monitored to forestall circumvention.
However conventional export markets are exhibiting weak sentiment. Any alternate options?
Imports have declined as a result of well timed commerce remedial measures, whilst export markets face headwinds. Over-supply in international markets continues. We’re engaged on and implementing a multi-pronged export promotion technique.
The Manufacturing-Linked Incentive (PLI) for speciality metal is driving high-value, high-quality merchandise with higher international competitiveness. Schemes akin to RoDTEP and the Market Entry Initiative (MAI) provide focused monetary and logistical help, particularly for the MSMEs.
The Authorities can be pursuing new bilateral commerce agreements and strengthening commerce infrastructure, particularly at main ports. Export Facilitation Centres are being arrange as a market diversification technique. Tapping rising markets in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Center East is underway, aligning with the PM’s imaginative and prescient of positioning India as a worldwide metal hub.
India’s metal demand rose 7.5% in April – July 2025. Is it sustainable?
India’s metal demand has grown by 12-13 per cent over the previous couple of years, pushed by robust efficiency within the infrastructure and development sectors. A centered push on infrastructure, sensible cities and housing has been a key catalyst, with per capita consumption surpassing 100 kg. The momentum is anticipated to accentuate within the second half of the 12 months, after the monsoons, when development exercise picks up.
The stainless-steel sector has not been included beneath the safeguard obligation and continues to face import stress. Any corrective motion?
The Centre is actively addressing trade issues over import stress. Countervailing Duties (CVD) are already in place on sure stainless-steel merchandise like welded pipes and tubes from China and Vietnam. Business associations have approached the DGTR for anti-dumping investigations. The DGTR is reviewing petitions, and formal investigations are anticipated to start quickly. Ought to dumping be confirmed, remedial duties will likely be thought of promptly.
After the inexperienced metal taxonomy, what’s the replace?
For the reason that launch of the “Taxonomy for Inexperienced Metal” in December, there have been efforts to construct a sturdy inexperienced metal ecosystem. Policymakers are reviewing the proposed Nationwide Mission on Sustainable Metal (NMSS), aimed toward accelerating decarbonisation by means of superior applied sciences, renewable power integration, incentives and useful resource effectivity.
The Expressions of Curiosity for Inexperienced Hydrogen pilot tasks are being examined, and the main target is on attaining 100 per cent hydrogen-based DRI manufacturing and hydrogen injection into blast furnace applied sciences. In the meantime, three Indian metal corporations have obtained the primary Inexperienced Metal Certificates.
Overseen by PM Modi himself, the plan can be to place India as a worldwide chief in sustainable steel-making.
Are there any attainable coverage interventions within the metal PLI scheme?
Two rounds of purposes beneath the PLI for Speciality Metal are by means of.
Within the first spherical (PLI 1.0), 44 tasks from 19 corporations have been authorised with funding commitments of ₹27,106 crore. Within the second spherical (PLI 1.1), 42 tasks from 25 corporations have been authorised with commitments of ₹17,000 crore.
The PLI coverage framework is being reworked to enhance and cater to each massive and smaller metal producers. Based mostly on an in depth evaluation of import knowledge (SIMS and NOC purposes) and stakeholder consultations, 25 sub-categories of metal and alloys have been recognized for inclusion beneath PLI 1.2, which is beneath dialogue. Relaxations would allow incentive claims even when incremental manufacturing falls wanting MoU commitments, amongst others.
General, an estimated further ₹4,000 crore in incentives is anticipated to be disbursed over the following 5 years.