THE GLOBAL steel industry is entering a defining decade where decarbonisation, energy transition, and competitiveness must move together rather than as separate priorities. For emerging economies like India, the challenge is particularly complex-balancing rapid steel capacity expansion with the need for lower emissions, stronger infrastructure, and long-term industrial resilience. Unlike developed markets, India’s steel ecosystem must navigate both large integrated blast furnace operations and a highly fragmented secondary sector, each requiring very different transition pathways.
In this interaction with Steelworld, Mr. Atanu Mukherjee, Chief Executive Officer of M. N. Dastur and Dastur Energy, shares his perspective on practical decarbonisation pathways for steelmaking, the evolving role of coal, hydrogen, and renewables, the scalability of CCUS, and how policy and industrial systems must work together to create sustainable growth. His insights highlight the importance of moving beyond theoretical transition models toward solutions that are technically viable, commercially scalable, and aligned with India’s industrial realities.