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The Ministry of Steel will hold an Open House on April 27 to discuss issues related to steel imports, including concerns around SIMS and QCO exemptions, according to an official release by the ministry.
The ministry said the session will be held at Steel Room, 3rd Floor, GPOA-3, Netaji Nagar in New Delhi, where companies and industry associations have been invited to present their concerns related to steel imports. Participants will be required to send an email to tech-steel[at]nic[dot]in to obtain a confirmed time slot for the meeting, with requests to be submitted by April 24, 3:00 pm. The Open House will be conducted from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm, and specific time slots will be communicated via email. The ministry added that walk-in participation will not be allowed and only one representative per organisation will be permitted. According to the release, participants must provide details such as the name of the company or association, type of industry and product, and whether the issue is related to SIMS, SARAL SIMS or QCO exemption. They are also required to include a brief description of the issue, reference of any application filed, and contact details. The development comes at a time when the Indian steel industry delivered a strong performance in FY 2025-26, maintaining its position as the world's second-largest producer despite global uncertainties and price pressures, ministry stated in the release on April 8. The ministry noted that India's crude steel output grew by over 10.7 per cent year-on-year to around 168.4 million tonnes during April-March, supported by strong domestic demand and infrastructure activity. Finished steel consumption also expanded to about 164 million tonnes, driven by increased activity in infrastructure, construction, railways and manufacturing sectors. Exports of finished steel surged by 35.9 per cent to over 6 million tonnes, while imports declined by 31.7 per cent, helping India regain its position as a net exporter. At the same time, the sector faced challenges including pressure on margins due to volatile raw material costs, rising logistics expenses and global price fluctuations. Disruptions in gas supplies and rising energy costs also highlighted vulnerabilities in the supply chain. (ANI)
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