Viksit Bharat 2047 needs stainless steel, industry calls for national push to emerge as global leader
Mumbai, June 28
As India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047, industry leaders have called for a national push to expand stainless steel adoption. India is currently the world's second-largest consumer of stainless steel, producing 5.16 million tonnes annually against the global output of 64.2 million tonnes.
Industry leaders believe that wider adoption of stainless steel will result in increasing the per capita consumption of stainless steel from the present around 3.4 kg in India to closer to the world average of 6 kg. Wider adoption can strengthen infrastructure, manufacturing, sustainability and global competitiveness.
"India's journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047 cannot be realised without making stainless steel a strategic pillar of infrastructure, sustainability and manufacturing. The country needs a unified platform where the Ministry of Steel, ISSDA and GSSE work together to align policy, innovation and market opportunities, accelerating India's rise as a global stainless steel leader. By expanding applications, increasing awareness and encouraging lifecycle-based infrastructure planning, we can build assets that benefit both citizens and the nation for generations," said Anitha Raghunath, Managing Director, Virgo Communications & Exhibitions Pvt Ltd and Organiser, Global Stainless Steel Expo (GSSE).
As India strengthens its position as the world's second-largest consumer of stainless steel, industry stakeholders are increasingly aligning efforts to accelerate growth, innovation, and global competitiveness.
Abhyuday Jindal, Managing Director, Jindal Stainless, said, "India's stainless steel industry stands at a defining moment. With sustained investments in capacity expansion, technological advancement, product innovation and value-added applications, India has the potential to emerge as a global hub for stainless steel manufacturing. Building domestic capabilities today will not only support India's infrastructure ambitions but also strengthen our position in global value chains."
Industry experts believe stainless steel adoption is no longer confined to conventional sectors such as construction and transportation. Demand is expanding rapidly across green hydrogen, electric mobility, pharmaceuticals, food processing, desalination plants, data centres and clean water infrastructure, where corrosion resistance, durability and recyclability offer significant long-term economic and environmental advantages.
Rajamani Krishnamurti, President, Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA), said, "Beyond consumption growth, India has the opportunity to become a globally competitive manufacturing and innovation hub for stainless steel and its applications. Greater awareness around lifecycle costing, corrosion management and sustainable infrastructure will help unlock this potential while supporting the country's long-term development goals."
In line with this vision, the Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA) has extended its support to the forthcoming editions of the Global Stainless Steel Expo (GSSE), creating a stronger industry platform that will bring together manufacturers, policymakers, technology providers, architects, engineers and infrastructure developers to accelerate innovation, collaboration and wider adoption of stainless steel.
The initiative aims to reinforce India's leadership in stainless steel manufacturing while contributing to the country's ambition of becoming a resilient, sustainable and globally competitive industrial economy.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is exactly what we need! I work in construction and the amount of corrosion we see in coastal areas is shocking. Stainless steel makes so much sense for bridges, flyovers, and railway stations. Plus it's 100% recyclable - perfect for our Swachh Bharat goals too. Hope they partner with small-scale fabricators to upskill them. 🇮🇳
Good article but I'm skeptical. We've been hearing 'Viksit Bharat' slogans for years. Where is the actual action plan? Our per capita consumption is still half the world average. The government should mandate stainless steel in all new public infrastructure projects - hospitals, schools, metro stations. Without policy push, this is just another industry talk.
As someone from the US who works in manufacturing, I'm impressed by India's vision. The focus on green hydrogen and data centres is smart - these are growth industries globally. But India needs to also focus on quality standards. We use stainless steel differently here - more automation. India has the raw materials and labour, now it needs tech partnerships.
Brilliant! My father was a steel worker in Jamshedpur and he always said stainless steel is the future. But we need to address one thing - stainless steel has higher upfront cost. The article mentions lifecycle costing which is great, but common people need to understand that value. Maybe government can give tax benefits for using stainless steel in housing. 🌟
Interesting perspective from Australia. We use stainless steel extensively in our mining and water infrastructure
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.