Switch to green steel in India will take decades, say industry leaders

Industry leaders have called for a gradual, step-by-step transition to green steel, urging supportive government policies and a focus on reducing emissions as part of India's sustainable growth agenda

While India's steel industry is gearing up to transition towards green steel, a full-scale switch will take decades, steel industry leaders and experts said on Thursday. Meanwhile, they called for supportive government policies and a move to reduce emissions.

 

Speaking at the 14th India Minerals and Metals Forum held by the Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) in New Delhi, Jindal Stainless Managing Director Abhyuday Jindal said the transition has started. "The shift to green steel is a transition, and adopting low-emission processes in production is the right starting point," he said. The successful transitions in other countries were largely enabled by supportive government policies, he added. Emphasising policies like the Green Hydrogen Mission, Jindal said it undoubtedly supports the industry’s move in this direction.

 

Industry experts also noted that the adoption of a step-by-step process is crucial in transitioning towards green steel. “While full-scale transformation will take decades, Indian steelmakers must lead with pragmatic steps: reducing emissions, conserving energy, and ensuring that at least 10 per cent of all new capacity is based on green hydrogen and clean electricity,” said V.R. Sharma, Vice Chairman, Jindal Steel and Power Ltd. 

 

According to industry data, the global steel industry is responsible for approximately 7-9 per cent of global CO₂ emissions. As India is the world’s second-largest steel producer, the urgency to decarbonise its production processes is critical both for meeting environmental targets and ensuring sustainable growth.

 

Thursday's event focused on the urgent need for advanced green steelmaking and a stronger circular economy in the nation’s steel industry. The conference brought together industry experts to examine the roadmap for reducing carbon emissions and transitioning away from traditional steel production methods.

 

Discussions at the forum centred on integrating low-carbon products and hydrogen-based production techniques into manufacturing, while also addressing existing policy and structural barriers to creating a circular economy.

 

Alok Sahay, Secretary General of the Indian Steel Association, emphasised that India’s steel sector is driven by robust domestic demand and ambitious infrastructure goals, with exports being a by-product and not a focus. “To meet our vision of 500 million tonnes by 2047, we must ensure policy support, secure returns for investors, and promote green steel adoption through concrete regulatory mandates,” he added.