Maharashtra Government Signs MoU Worth Rs. 80,000 Crores at AIIFA Steelex 2025

• This investment will create around 1,00,000 jobs across the state

• AIIFA Steelex 2025 – A Steel Mahakumbh Marks a Historic Leap for India’s Secondary Steel Sector

Mumbai, September 19, 2025 – The AIIFA Sustainable Steel Manufacturers Association inaugurated the 37th International Conference, AIIFA Steelex 2025: A Steel Mahakumbh at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon. With the theme “Profitable Sustainability – Green Steel: A Future Ecosystem”, the event convenes policymakers, industry captains, global delegates and innovators under one roof to shape the future of India’s steel industry.

The inauguration was graced by Hon’ble dignitaries including Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy; Devendra Fadnavis, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra; Uday Samant, Minister for Industries, Government of Maharashtra; along with Dr. P. Anbalagan, IAS, Secretary (Industries), Government of Maharashtra and Dr. Angela Lusigi, Resident Representative, UNDP India.

Also joining the stage were leading industry representatives, including Suraj Bhandari, Electrotherm India Ltd, and Balasubramanian Prabhakaran, Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd, alongside the AIIFA leadership team, Yogesh Mandhani, President AIIFA and Kamal Aggarwal, Hon. General Secretary, AIIFA.

At the centrepiece of the event, nine leading companies signed MoUs with the Government of Maharashtra, pledging a record ₹80,962 crore of investment and the creation of over 90,300 jobs across the state.

Speaking at AIIFA Steelex 2025,Hon’ble Devendra Fadnavis, Chief Minister of Maharashtra said“Hon’ble Minister Joshi has outlined the Green Steel Mission, for which the Government of India is investing ₹5,000 crore. This is an opportunity we must seize and turn into a growth engine. Maharashtra is moving ahead in the steel sector as it is becoming the leader of the steel sector. Currently, Maharashtra ranks 4th in steel production in India, but within the next eight years, we aim to become No. 1 in the country. Already, investments worth ₹80,000 crore have been made in Maharashtra’s steel sector and agreements worth ₹5 lakh crore have been signed.  But we do not want to become the leader of the steel sector only. We have to become the leader of the green steel sector and Maharashtra will play a big role in the export of green steel to the country.”

Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of New & Renewable Energy, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution of India said “AIIFA Steel-X 2025, the Steel Mahakumbh, marks the first step towards a major transformation. The transition to green steel is not just an economic necessity but a national priority. India has set an ambitious target of producing 300 million tons of zero-carbon steel. Of this, at least 50 million tons must be exported. In the steel sector, five pilot projects are already underway at Kandla, Paradip, and Pipavav ports, being developed as green hydrogen hubs. With these initiatives, large-scale green steel production has now become possible. In the coming years, India must ensure the export of at least 50 million tons of green steel.”

Uday Samant, Minister of Marathi Language of Maharashtra said “In the future, Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra will be recognized as an industrial hub. The steel industry will provide employment to thousands of people but beyond that, the social and industrial development happening in Gadchiroli will shape its future. One of the most important aspects of this initiative is the effort to provide jobs to former Naxalites by helping them transition from their past and integrate into society through the steel industry. This is a key priority for the government. Today, we are signing an MOU worth Rs. 80,000 crore and this investment will createaround 100,000 jobs across the state. As the steel industry begins to establish itself in Gadchiroli, it is essential to strengthen the surrounding areas like Chandrapur etc. If any steps are required to facilitate this, we are fully supportive. There is a shortage of land acquisition officers and I have assured him that we will provide as many officers as needed. However, it is crucial that the industry is prepared and operational within the given timeframe, so that we can work together to address unemployment and bring about positive change in Gadchiroli.”

In the Vidarbha region, projects worth ₹33,842 crore are expected to generate around 26,600 jobs. Major investments include Sumeth Tools Pvt. Ltd. in Gadchiroli with an investment of ₹2,000 crore creating 1,500 jobs; Hariom Pipes in Gadchiroli investing ₹3,135 crore and generating 2,500 jobs; Icon Steel India Pvt. Ltd. in Chandrapur with ₹850 crore investment and 1,500 jobs; Rashmi Metallurgical Industry Pvt. Ltd. in Gadchiroli making the largest investment of ₹25,000 crore, creating 20,000 jobs; Jaideep Steel Works in Nagpur with ₹1,375 crore and 600 jobs and G.R. Krishna Ferro Alloys in Chandrapur with ₹1,482 crore and 500 jobs.

In the Marathwada region, NPSPL Advanced Material (Atha Group) in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar is investing ₹5,440 crore, expected to generate 2,500 jobs.

In the Pune region, Filtrum Autocomp Pvt. Ltd. in Wai, Satara is investing ₹100 crore, which will create 1,200 jobs.

In the Konkan region, Jindal Stainless Ltd. in Raigad is making a massive investment of ₹41,580 crore, projected to create 60,000 jobs.

This distribution reflects Maharashtra’s balanced approach to regional industrialization, with Vidarbha emerging as a hub for large-scale steel plants, Marathwada for advanced materials, Pune for automotive components, and Konkan for a landmark stainless-steel greenfield project.

As part of AIIFA’s sustainability agenda, seven companies were awarded the Green Steel Certificate in recognition of their commitment to clean, efficient, and responsible steelmaking. The recipients include Bhagwati Steel Cast (Nashik, Maharashtra), Bhagyalaxmi Rolling Mills (Jalna, Maharashtra), Devashree Ispat (Telangana), Guardian Castings (Palghar, Maharashtra), Mono Steel (Gujarat), Rathi and Private Limited (Jalna, Maharashtra) and SRJ Peety Steels (Jalna, Maharashtra). These recognitions highlight the steel sector’s decisive shift towards a low-carbon and sustainable future.These recognitions highlight the sector’s pivot towards a low-carbon future.

The two-day Mahakumbh will feature eight knowledge sessions and five industry roundtables. These will cover a wide range of themes, including policy and regulatory fixes for competitiveness, theNational Mission on Sustainable Steel, and financial instruments to drive “Make in India” steel globally. Discussions will also focus on logistics, approvals and market strategies, as well as the role of digital transformation and AI in steelmaking. Key challenges such as supply chain and raw material availability, navigating GST and power costs and skilling and workforce development will also be addressed.

India’s secondary steel sector has consistently outpaced global averages, with annual growth of 4–7% in recent years. As global steel markets stagnated, India achieved 33% growth in crude steel production between 2019–2024, solidifying its position as the world’s second-largest producer.

Steelex 2025 underscores India’s ambition not only to sustain this trajectory but to lead the global green steel revolution, aligned with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of Net Zero by 2070.

Welcoming participants, Yogesh Mandhani, President of AIIFA, stated:
“By embracing innovation, efficiency, and responsibility, we can create business models where sustainability drives profitability, and profitability sustains sustainability. Steelex 2025 is more than a conference, it is the Mahakumbh of ideas, investments, and innovations that will redefine the future of steel in India and beyond.”