Steel Ministry Launches Green Steel Deliberations at NISST Chintan Shivir 2026

A one-day Chintan Shivir was आयोजित at the National Institute of Secondary Steel Technology (NISST), Mandi Gobindgarh, marking the beginning of focused national deliberations on accelerating green steel production in India.

The event was inaugurated by Shri Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary, Ministry of Steel, in the presence of senior ministry officials, CPSE representatives, technical experts, industry associations and stakeholders from the secondary steel sector.

The Shivir signals India's growing push to align its steel growth trajectory with decarbonisation goals and emerging global green trade standards.

Secondary Steel Sector: Backbone of India's Steel Growth

In his address, Secretary (Steel) Shri Sandeep Poundrik underscored the critical role of the secondary steel sector, which contributes nearly 47% of India's total steel production.

He noted that India remains the only major country where steel production, consumption and installed capacity continue to rise steadily each year, registering annual growth of 8–10%.

"The secondary steel sector will be central to India's transition toward sustainable and low-carbon steelmaking," he said.

NISST's Expanding Role in Capacity Building and Certification

Shri Poundrik appreciated NISST's role in strengthening the secondary steel ecosystem and highlighted that the institute is now conducting training programmes twice a month across steel clusters nationwide.

Importantly, NISST has been designated as the nodal agency for Green Steel Certification.

• Green steel certificates have already been issued to 76 industries

• Covering a certified production volume of 10.98 million tonnes (MT)

This marks a significant early milestone in building a credible domestic green steel standards framework.

Incentive Scheme in the Works for Technology Upgradation

The Secretary informed participants that the Ministry of Steel is working on an incentive scheme aimed at encouraging the secondary steel sector to adopt improved technologies that reduce carbon emissions.

Such incentives are expected to support:

• modernisation of production units

• energy efficiency upgrades

• adoption of low-carbon fuel pathways

• compliance with future green certification norms

Shri Daya Nidhan Pandey, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Steel and Chairman, NISST, also highlighted NISST's capacity-building mandate for the sector.

Focus on Breakthrough Low-Carbon Steel Technologies

Chintan Shivir 2026 featured in-depth discussions on emerging green steel technologies, including:

Green Hydrogen in Steelmaking

• Injection of green hydrogen in blast furnaces to reduce CO₂ emissions

• Use of hydrogen in rotary kiln–based iron making

Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)

• Deployment of BESS in secondary steel plants

• Reducing grid dependence

• Optimising off-peak renewable power utilisation

Vertical Shaft DRI with Water Gas Reductant

• Shaft-based DRI production using water gas

• Greater flexibility in fuel and raw materials

• Lower emissions compared to conventional routes

Export Outlook and CBAM Challenges

The Shivir also reviewed export opportunities for Indian alloy steel products, alongside the growing challenge posed by the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

Discussions highlighted the need for Indian steelmakers to prepare for:

• carbon disclosure requirements

• embedded emissions benchmarking

• green compliance as a trade competitiveness factor

Toward a Sustainable Green Steel Roadmap

The Chintan Shivir brought together policymakers, industry leaders and technical experts to chart pathways for sustainable steel growth.

The deliberations focused on:

• upcoming green steel breakthroughs

• scaling technology adoption in secondary steel

• reducing emissions while sustaining growth

• positioning India competitively in future low-carbon global markets

The event marks a key step in India's transition toward greener industrial production, with the secondary steel sector expected to play a decisive role in achieving national climate and sustainability goals.