India Calls for National Push to Boost Stainless Steel Use for Viksit Bharat 2047
India’s stainless steel industry has called for a coordinated national strategy to significantly increase the use of stainless steel across infrastructure, manufacturing, water management, transportation, energy, and emerging industrial sectors, positioning the material as a key enabler of the country’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision. Industry leaders believe that expanding stainless steel applications will improve long-term infrastructure quality while strengthening India’s position as a global manufacturing powerhouse.
India is currently the world’s second-largest consumer of stainless steel, yet its per capita consumption stands at approximately 3.4 kg, significantly below the global average of nearly 6 kg. Industry experts believe closing this gap represents one of the country’s biggest opportunities to accelerate domestic demand while supporting sustainable economic growth.
Speaking on the need for a unified approach, Anitha Raghunath, Managing Director of Virgo Communications & Exhibitions Pvt. Ltd. and Organiser of the Global Stainless Steel Expo (GSSE), said stronger collaboration between the Ministry of Steel, the Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA), and GSSE can help align policy, innovation, and industry development.
She emphasized that increasing awareness of stainless steel’s long-term lifecycle value and expanding its applications across critical infrastructure projects will enable India to build more durable, sustainable assets while advancing towards its Viksit Bharat 2047 goals.
Stainless Steel Demand Expands Across Emerging Industries
Industry leaders highlighted that stainless steel demand is rapidly moving beyond traditional construction and transportation sectors into green hydrogen, electric mobility, pharmaceuticals, food processing, desalination plants, data centres, renewable energy, and water infrastructure. Its corrosion resistance, durability, recyclability, and low maintenance requirements continue to make it the preferred material for next-generation infrastructure.
Abhyuday Jindal, Managing Director of Jindal Stainless, said India’s stainless steel industry is entering a transformative phase, supported by investments in manufacturing capacity, technology, product innovation, and value-added applications. He noted that strengthening domestic manufacturing capabilities today will help India meet future infrastructure requirements while enhancing its competitiveness in global stainless steel markets.
The Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA) also stressed the importance of promoting lifecycle costing, corrosion management, and sustainable infrastructure planning to unlock the full potential of stainless steel across public and private projects.
ISSDA President Rajamani Krishnamurti said India has the opportunity to become not only one of the world’s largest consumers of stainless steel but also a global centre for manufacturing, innovation, and application development. He added that closer collaboration among industry, policymakers, architects, engineers, and technology providers will be critical to accelerating adoption across multiple sectors.
The industry has also reaffirmed its support for future editions of the Global Stainless Steel Expo (GSSE), which continues to serve as a common platform connecting manufacturers, government bodies, infrastructure developers, consultants, architects, and technology providers. Industry leaders believe such collaborative initiatives will play a significant role in driving innovation, encouraging wider adoption of stainless steel, and strengthening India’s journey towards becoming a sustainable and globally competitive industrial economy by 2047.
