AIIFA Calls For Reforms To Strengthen India's Secondary Steel Sector

(MENAFN- KNN India) New Delhi, Sep 8 (KNN) The AIIFA Sustainable Steel Manufacturers Association, which represents over 1,800 members across India, has urged comprehensive reforms in standards, sustainability, and taxation to boost the competitiveness of the country's steel industry.

The secondary steel sector, which contributes nearly 47 per cent of India's total output, is central to industrial growth, job creation in smaller towns, and the national goal of achieving 300 million tonnes of steel capacity by 2030.

However, the industry faces persistent challenges such as fluctuating raw material prices, high energy costs, logistical hurdles, and increasing pressure to decarbonize.

To address these issues, AIIFA, in collaboration with the Steel Manufacturers Association of Maharashtra (SMAM), under the Ministry of Steel and supported by UNDP, will host AIIFA STEELEX-2025.

Dubbed the“Mahakumbh of the Steel Industry,” the event will be held on 19–20 September 2025 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, alongside the 37th National Conference on Steel.

With over 300 exhibitors and 3,500 delegates expected, discussions will cover green steel, renewable energy, hydrogen-based production, raw material security, circular economy models, and trade challenges like the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM).

AIIFA President Yogesh Mandhani stressed the need to modernize BIS standards, highlighting that India's varied geography requires region-specific norms rather than a uniform framework.

He also emphasised the role of the secondary sector in driving the green steel transition through scrap-based production, renewable energy use, and carbon reduction measures.

He urged the government to extend policy support, carbon credits, and financial incentives for green projects.

Meanwhile, AIIFA Secretary General Kamal Aggarwal flagged GST compliance issues in scrap transactions, calling for simplified mechanisms that bring small suppliers into the tax net.

Mandhani concluded that with the right reforms, India's steel sector can become stronger, more resilient, and a global leader in sustainable production.

(KNN Bureau)

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