AI, digital technologies to redefine India's steel industry: Minister

Digitalisation is no longer an option but a necessity for the long-term survival and global competitiveness of India's steel industry, Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy said on Wednesday.

Addressing the 'Chintan Shivir 2026 on Digitalisation in the Steel Sector' here, the minister said the future of the steel industry would be shaped not merely by production capacity but by its ability to build intelligent, connected and data-driven manufacturing ecosystems.

Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, he described the steel industry as a strategic pillar of India's economic transformation, supporting infrastructure development, manufacturing, renewable energy, urbanisation, transportation and defence production.

Calling steel the backbone of nation-building, the minister noted that India has retained its position as the world's second-largest steel producer since 2018, despite subdued demand in several advanced economies.

Kumaraswamy further noted that crude steel production has expanded at an average annual rate of nearly 8 per cent since FY22, while finished steel consumption has grown by around 13 per cent annually.

He reiterated the government's vision of increasing India's steelmaking capacity to 300 million tonnes by 2030 and 400 million tonnes by 2035.

In addition, the minister underscored the transformative potential of technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Digital Twins, Robotics and Advanced Data Analytics in reshaping steel manufacturing globally.

"These technologies can help minimise unplanned downtime, reduce human errors and improve workplace safety," Kumaraswamy said.

The event -- organised by the Ministry of Steel -- brought together senior government officials, industry leaders, technology experts, startups and heads of major public sector steel companies, including SAIL, NMDC and MOIL.