Advanced automation and AI-driven process control systems will be critical to ensuring that India’s steel industry remains globally competitive and environmentally responsible, according to Sandeep Poundrik, Secretary of India’s Ministry of Steel.
Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi on February 20, Poundrik said India’s crude steel capacity is expected to reach 300 million metric tons per year by 2030, rising further to 400 million metric tons by 2036, compared with around 200 million metric tons currently.
He said the expansion will be supported by parallel growth in mining output, logistics networks, beneficiation capacity, and downstream value addition, but will also require real-time monitoring, intelligent capacity utilisation, efficient energy management, decarbonisation strategies, and optimised capital deployment.
According to Poundrik, artificial intelligence should be treated as a strategic enabler rather than a peripheral tool in the transformation of India’s steel sector.
VietnamSteel by Hoa Sen Group
