HT Syndication

New Delhi [India], September 6: The AIIFA Sustainable Steel Manufacturers Association, representing over 1,800 members nationwide, has called for comprehensive reforms in standards, sustainability practices, and taxation to strengthen the resilience and global competitiveness of India's steel sector. Contributing nearly 47% of the nation's steel output, the secondary steel sector plays a pivotal role in driving decentralized industrial growth, employment in semi-urban and rural areas, and supporting India's target of 300 million tonnes of steel capacity by 2030.

Despite its importance, the sector continues to grapple with challenges including raw material price volatility, rising energy costs, logistical inefficiencies, and growing decarbonization pressures. AIIFA has emphasized that immediate policy and structural interventions are critical to unlocking the sector's full potential.

In this context, AIIFA, in collaboration with the Steel Manufacturers Association of Maharashtra (SMAM), under the aegis of the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, and with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will host AIIFA STEELEX-2025--widely regarded as the 'Mahakumbh of the Steel Industry'.

The event, scheduled alongside the 37th National Conference on Steel on 19-20 September 2025 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai, will unite the secondary steel sector under the theme 'One Industry, One Destination.' With 300+ exhibitors and over 3,500 delegates expected, discussions will focus on decarbonization, hydrogen-based steelmaking, renewable energy integration, raw material security, circular economy models, and global trade challenges such as the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

Mr. Yogesh Mandhani, President of AIIFA Sustainable Steel Manufacturers Association, emphasized the need to revisit BIS standards, pointing out that India's diverse geography and climatic conditions make a uniform, 'one-size-fits-all' approach inadequate. He called for revisions to critical norms such as IS:1786 with region-specific considerations and urged the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to adopt a performance-based framework that ensures strength, ductility, and durability, while allowing manufacturers the flexibility to innovate and integrate advanced technologies.

Mr. Mandhani further noted that the transition to green steel is not only an environmental necessity but also a strategic growth opportunity. With its scrap-based production model, the secondary steel sector is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation by deploying energy-efficient technologies, renewable power, and carbon-reduction measures. He urged the government to provide strong policy support through carbon credit benefits, affordable renewable energy, and targeted financial incentives for green steel projects, enabling India to emerge as a global hub for sustainable steel production.

Mr. Kamal Aggarwal, Hon. Secretary General of AIIFA Sustainable Steel Manufacturers Association, highlighted another critical concern--GST compliance in scrap transactions. With small and unorganized suppliers often operating outside the formal framework, the compliance burden falls disproportionately on secondary steel producers. He stressed the need for simplified and inclusive GST mechanisms that encourage small suppliers to enter the tax net, thereby strengthening the circular economy, improving compliance, and enhancing industry competitiveness.

Concluding, Mr. Mandhani reiterated that India's steel sector stands at a decisive turning point. By modernizing standards, accelerating the green steel roadmap, and simplifying the GST framework, India can build a stronger, more resilient, and globally competitive steel industry. With coordinated efforts between the government and industry, he expressed confidence that India will not only achieve its domestic growth targets but also establish itself as a key player in the global low-carbon economy.

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