Back to old normal: Robust demand propels metals to pre-Covid levels

In the third instalment of a four-part series on how some of the defining numbers in key sectors are springing back to the pre-pandemic level, Ishita Ayan Dutt looks at India's metals industry

The attempt by major economies to spend their way out of a pandemic-induced slowdown – by pouring money into under-invested infrastructure – and a growing commitment to decarbonisation are fuelling a demand for metals not seen in years.
 
In the home market, despite the second Covid-19 wave casting a shadow on domestic demand in the first quarter (April-June) of this financial year, production is back at the pre-Covid-19 level of FY20.
 
Data from ICRA and Joint Plant Committee (JPC) show that steel production in the first quarter of FY22 was at 27.8 million tonnes, close to the 27.9