As a healthy exchange of ideas transpired, one of the hallmarks of the CEO Roundtable at GSSE 2025 was the innovation in stainless steel.

The CEO Roundtable was organised at GSSE 2025 with the express intention of bringing top thought leaders of the industry on the same platform and facilitate high-level dialogue about sustainable growth, collaboration, raising awareness and addressing key concerns such as the need for a national stainless steel policy. 

Here are the key takeaways from the CEO Roundtable at GSSE 2025:

Strategic importance of stainless steel

• Stainless steel is positioned as a catalyst for sustainable growth, innovation and resilient infrastructure.
• It is essential for India’s progress in sectors like infrastructure, clean energy, defence, healthcare, transportation and consumer durables.
• Offers corrosion resistance, low life-cycle cost, minimal maintenance, and high strength-to-weight ratio—especially relevant for India’s climatic and usage conditions.

Growth outlook and market potential

• India’s stainless steel consumption is projected to exceed 20 million tonnes annually by 2047.
• Urban infrastructure market in India is valued at ₹10 lakh crore, with stainless steel expected to capture 20 per cent of that in the next 10-15 years.
• Huge potential in railways, metros (e.g., Vande Bharat, water metros), and EVs—with automakers like PMO2 already using stainless steel extensively.

Industry challenges

• Heavy reliance on imports of raw materials like nickel, molybdenum, and stainless steel scrap—constituting 33 per cent of domestic consumption.
• Circumvention of anti-dumping duties via low-cost imports from FTA countries like Vietnam.
• Lack of a national stainless steel policy despite India being the second-largest consumer globally.
• Fragmented testing infrastructure and insufficient implementation of BIS and QCO norms.

Standards and regulation

• BIS is working on dynamic, inclusive standards and encourages industry feedback.
• All Indian standards are available free of cost via BIS website.
• Industry demands input raw materials (e.g., HR for CR products) also be BIS-certified to ensure quality compliance.
• There’s ongoing dialogue between ISJA, BIS, and Ministry of Steel to level the playing field for domestic vs imported products.

Sustainability and green steel

• Stainless steel is 100 per cent recyclable, durable, and energy-efficient—ideal for green infrastructure.
• Jindal Stainless has set up India’s first green hydrogen plant and the largest captive solar plant within a manufacturing facility.
• Motocompo has launched “Circle Green Steel” with the lowest carbon footprint in the industry.
• Emphasis on low-carbon manufacturing, renewable energy integration, and adherence to green steel standards.

Innovation and R&D

• Need for cross-disciplinary partnerships among scientists, engineers, OEMs, and designers.
• Stainless steel is now integral to emerging applications in sectors like space (e.g., Chandrayaan-3), missiles, marine infrastructure, hydrogen electrolysers, and medical devices.
• Industry requires R&D push and centres of excellence such as SRTMI to develop advanced applications.

Policy recommendations

• Immediate need for a dedicated national stainless steel policy aligned with Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat goals.
• Policy should promote:
  • Export competitiveness and fair trade access.
  • Raw material security via duty-free imports or domestic mining.
  • Skill development via industry-academia collaborations.
  • Support for MSMEs with better finance and resources.

Logistics and infrastructure support

• Rail and coastal shipping need to be better leveraged for cost-effective logistics.
• Government projects like PM Gati Shakti, Bharatmala, and Sagarmala must benefit MSMEs and downstream players.

These insights collectively aim to position India not just as a volume leader but as a global hub of quality, innovation, and sustainable practices in stainless steel, thereby making the CEO Roundtable at GSSE 2025 an instrumental platform for the industry.