India's Steel Sector Set for a Technological Revolution: SRTMI Launches R&D Schemes and Web Portal
India is gearing up to become a global leader in steel production with a vision to produce 300 million metric tons of steel by 2030. To meet this ambitious target, the Steel Research Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) has launched three cutting-edge research and development (R&D) schemes, along with a new web portal aimed at accelerating collaboration between the steel industry and academia. This initiative marks a significant step towards driving technological innovation and increasing the global competitiveness of India's steel sector.
The event, titled ‘Catalyzing R&D in the Indian Steel Sector’, was held in New Delhi on March 13, 2025. It was officially inaugurated by Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, the Minister of State for Steel & Heavy Industries. The launch represents a key collaboration between India’s steel producers, researchers, and government bodies, with support from the Ministry of Steel.
Strategic Importance of the New R&D Schemes
The new R&D schemes have been designed to address critical challenges and fuel innovation in the steel sector. India’s steel industry is experiencing rapid growth, with steel demand increasing by 11% annually—much higher than the global average of 0.5%. This growth is primarily driven by the country’s booming infrastructure and industrial sectors.
To support this expansion and meet the rising demand, the newly launched schemes focus on:
1. The Challenge Method: This scheme aims to identify and solve crucial challenges faced by the steel industry. These challenges are of national interest and require innovative solutions to ensure the sector's future growth. The Challenge Method will allow Indian companies to tackle industry-wide problems such as improving plant efficiency and decarbonising steel production.
2. The Open Innovation Method: This initiative invites proposals from academia, researchers, and industry experts to collaborate on groundbreaking research in steel production technologies. It will help bridge the gap between academic research and industry needs by funding and supporting joint research ventures between private players and institutions.
3. The Start-up Accelerator: Designed to support early-stage start-ups, this scheme encourages the development of advanced steel technologies and innovations that can help revolutionise the sector. The scheme will provide financial and technical support to start-ups developing next-gen technologies such as AI and machine learning (ML) for enhancing steel production processes.
SteelCollab: The New Platform for Collaboration
Alongside these schemes, the SteelCollab platform was launched as a central hub for collaborative research. This platform will connect industry leaders, researchers, start-ups, and academic institutions, facilitating idea exchange and problem-solving initiatives. The goal is to drive decarbonisation, digitalisation, and advanced steel development, ensuring that India’s steel sector remains at the forefront of technological advancements.
The platform will also serve as a matchmaking service, allowing industry players to present challenges they face while offering researchers and start-ups the opportunity to propose solutions. This collaborative approach is expected to foster the development of cutting-edge steel technologies that align with India’s long-term goals of sustainability and growth.
The SteelCollab platform will help accelerate technology commercialisation in India’s steel industry, allowing companies to share their research needs and collaborate on solving pressing issues such as the energy intensity of steel production and the adoption of green steel technologies.
Insights from Industry Leaders
During the event, various industry leaders and academics discussed the key challenges and opportunities facing the Indian steel industry. Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary of the Ministry of Steel, highlighted India’s growing position as a steel demand hub, forecasting that per capita steel consumption will increase from 100 kg to 158 kg by 2030. He further added that this growth will require innovative solutions to meet future demand and maintain India’s position as a global steel producer.
Amarendu Prakash, Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and President of SRTMI, stressed the importance of industry-academia collaboration in enhancing India’s global steel competitiveness. He pointed out that India’s steel demand is outpacing the global average, and collaboration between the steel industry and research institutions is essential for meeting the challenges of decarbonisation and the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies.
He also mentioned that the industry is currently facing challenges with plant efficiency and resource optimisation, and the R&D schemes are designed to address these challenges. Collaboration with academia is expected to result in advanced processes that will not only help in increasing productivity but also reduce the carbon footprint.
A Collaborative Effort Across Sectors
The event also featured a panel discussion on ‘Forging Innovation through Industry-Academia Collaboration’, where experts emphasised the need for pilot testing facilities, industry-aligned university programs, and research focused on green steel and decarbonisation. The panel also called for strategic investments in AI/ML technologies to improve the efficiency and sustainability of steel plants.
The brainstorming session titled ‘Bridging the Gap Between Industry and Academia’ included 19 speakers from various sectors discussing collaboration opportunities and research priorities across the steel value chain. Industry players and researchers brainstormed ideas on how to enhance productivity, reduce emissions, and adopt cleaner technologies to meet the growing demands of both domestic and international markets.
The event was attended by major steel companies, including SAIL, JSW, Tata Steel, JSPL, NMDC, JSL, and RINL, as well as prominent academic institutions like IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Roorkee. Several research organisations, start-ups, and international entities, such as the Swedish Energy Agency and the Asian Development Bank, also participated in the discussions.
Key Takeaways:
• SRTMI Launches R&D Schemes: The Steel Research Technology Mission of India (SRTMI) launched three new R&D schemes to foster innovation in India’s steel sector.
• Focus on Collaboration: The new schemes promote industry-academia collaboration to enhance technological innovation and address critical challenges in steel production.
• Targeted Innovation: The schemes include Challenge Method, Open Innovation Method, and Start-up Accelerator to tackle industry-wide problems and support early-stage tech start-ups.
• SteelCollab Platform: The newly launched SteelCollab platform will connect industry leaders, researchers, and start-ups to drive innovation in decarbonisation, digitalisation, and advanced steel technologies.
• Steel Demand Growth: India’s steel demand is growing at 11% per year, significantly higher than the global average of 0.5%.
• India’s Steel Vision: The country aims to reach a steel production capacity of 300 million metric tons by 2030, with a significant focus on sustainability and green steel technologies.
• Global Participation: The event brought together major steel producers, academic institutions, research organisations, and international entities, fostering a collaborative ecosystem for steel sector innovation.
