Ministry of Steel Unveils AI-Driven Digital Roadmap, Targets 200-300 MT Capacity By 2030–31

New Delhi, Feb 19 (KNN) The Ministry of Steel on Wednesday released a comprehensive roadmap on Digital Opportunities in the Steel Sector at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 held at Bharat Mandapam, outlining its strategy to position India as a technology-driven global steel leader.

The roadmap signals a shift from capacity-led expansion to growth powered by intelligent systems, predictive analytics, automation and data-driven decision-making across the steel value chain.

Growth Targets and AI as Strategic Enabler

Under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, the ministry has set ambitious targets, with crude steel capacity projected to rise from about 200 million tonnes to 300 million tonnes by 2030–31 and further to 400 million tonnes by 2035–36.

This expansion will require intelligent capacity utilisation, real-time monitoring, energy efficiency and decarbonisation strategies, positioning AI as a strategic enabler of productivity, safety and sustainability.

AI in Steel Pavilion

At the centre of the initiative is the AI in Steel Pavilion, described as a first-of-its-kind collaborative platform. Designed as a problem-to-solution marketplace, it presents real-time operational challenges faced by steel producers and mining companies in areas such as logistics, safety, quality control, sustainability and marketing.

AI startups, technology firms and research institutions have been invited to co-develop scalable solutions, marking a transition from isolated pilot projects to mission-mode AI integration across mining, production, logistics and governance.

Industry Dialogue and Use Cases

A high-level session brought together steel producers, iron ore miners, policymakers and AI innovators to identify priority use cases. Discussions focused on predictive maintenance, computer vision, supply chain optimisation, intelligent decision-support systems and digital twins.

Industry representatives highlighted operational goals including reducing downtime, improving yield, enhancing worker safety, optimising raw material blending, lowering emissions and strengthening demand forecasting. 

Call to Innovators

Industry leaders emphasised the need for domain-specific AI solutions, scalable architectures, cybersecurity resilience and multilingual interfaces suited to Indian conditions. 

The Ministry invited startups, research institutions and deep-tech firms to leverage the Steel Research and Technology Mission of India as a live innovation sandbox.

(KNN Bureau)