Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted the rising prominence of India's steel industry, highlighting its critical role in many core sectors of national growth, such as infrastructure, defence, electric vehicles, and clean energy.
Replying to a tweet from X (formerly Twitter) by Union Steel Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy, the Prime Minister resounded the minister's words on India's strategic policy direction and innovation in steel production.
"From defense and infrastructure to electric mobility and clean energy, steel is the backbone of an emerging India. Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy explains how policy push and innovation are driving India towards becoming a world steel leader," Modi posted on the site.
Kumaraswamy, in his initial post, emphasized the central importance of a revived steel industry in creating a new India. "A revitalised steel sector is driving the emergence of a New India. From roads to high-speed trains, metro systems to green parks, EVs to defence, Indian steel is at the centre of our infrastructure revolution," he observed.
Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, India has emerged as the world’s second-largest steel producer, the minister pointed out. He shared that the country’s steel output has nearly doubled since 2014, and India is now rapidly advancing toward its goal of reaching 300 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in production capacity by 2030.
Kumaraswamy credited this expansion to path-breaking initiatives like the domestically made iron and steel products policy and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. "With visionary reforms like the domestically made iron & steel products policy and Production Linked Incentives scheme, we have enhanced capacity, self-reliance, and green steel innovation," he said.
Pointing to the industry's wider contribution, he added, "Today India is exporting quality steel, constructing with its own might, and empowering MSMEs and core industries. This is Atmanirbhar Bharat in action. Steel is not metal. It is the spine of an emerging, robust India."
In a supporting media article, Kumaraswamy went on to expound on the industry's turnaround, commenting that India's emergence as a world power is based on the revival of its steel sector—a traditionally moribund industry that has now developed robust momentum.
"In 2014, the nation's steel production was barely more than 81 million tonnes. Today, it has breached 152 million tonnes," he penned, adding that the production capacity has almost doubled within less than a decade. He further noted that India is the only major economy in the world where the demand for steel keeps rising steadily.
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