In a significant push toward decarbonising India’s steel industry, the Ministry of Steel organized a one-day Chintan Shivir at the National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology (NISST) in Mandi Gobindgarh, bringing together senior government officials, CPSE representatives, industry leaders, technical experts, and stakeholders from the secondary steel sector to deliberate on green steel production.
The event was inaugurated by Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, in the presence of senior officials including the Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, Joint Secretary, and representatives from industry associations. The gathering marked the beginning of focused deliberations on strategies to transition the secondary steel sector toward low-carbon and sustainable production pathways.
Addressing the participants, Poundrik emphasized the importance of the secondary steel sector, which contributes nearly 47% of India’s total steel production. He noted that India remains the only country where steel production, consumption, and installed capacity are consistently increasing each year, with an annual growth rate of 8–10%. He appreciated the role of NISST in strengthening the secondary steel ecosystem and stated that the institute is fulfilling its mandate by conducting training programs twice a month across major steel clusters in the country.
Poundrik informed the gathering that NISST has been designated as the nodal agency for green steel certification and has issued green steel certificates to 76 industries, covering 10.98 million tonnes of production capacity. He further stated that the Ministry of Steel is working on an incentive scheme to encourage technological upgradation in the secondary steel sector, aimed at reducing carbon emissions and enhancing energy efficiency.
Daya Nidhan Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel and Chairman of NISST, also highlighted the institute’s role in capacity building and technical advancement for the secondary steel sector. He underscored the importance of coordinated efforts between the government and industry to meet emerging sustainability requirements.
The Chintan Shivir 2026 featured detailed discussions on emerging low-carbon technologies, including green hydrogen injection in blast furnaces for reducing CO₂ emissions and the use of hydrogen in rotary kiln-based ironmaking. Deliberations also covered the deployment of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in the secondary steel sector to reduce dependence on the grid and optimize the utilization of off-peak renewable power.
Participants explored vertical shaft–based Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) production using water gas as a reductant, which enables greater fuel and raw material flexibility while lowering emissions. Export opportunities for alloy steel products were also reviewed, along with the challenges posed by the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which could have implications for Indian steel exports in carbon-sensitive markets.
The discussions brought together diverse perspectives from policymakers, industry leaders, and technical experts, focusing on technological breakthroughs, operational challenges and the roadmap toward green steel production. The Chintan Shivir concluded with a shared commitment to advancing sustainable growth in the secondary steel sector and aligning India’s steel industry with global climate goals while maintaining its competitive edge.
