Summary:
Surat, Oct 28 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the expertise gained by India"s steel industry in manufacturing high-grade version of the alloy helped the country make its first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant with domestic capability and technology.
Modi said due to everyone"s efforts in the last eight years, the Indian steel industry has become the second largest in the world and there is still immense potential for expansion of the key sector.
In his virtual address as the chief guest at the "bhoomi pujan" of expansion of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India)"s flagship plant at Hazira in Gujarat"s Surat district, the PM said the PLI (production linked incentive) scheme has helped pave the way for expansion of the industry and given strength to the Centre"s "Atmanirbhar Bharat" (self-reliant India) initiative.
The PLI scheme is aimed at making Indian manufacturers globally competitive, attracting investment in the areas of core competency and cutting-edge technology; ensuring efficiencies; creating economies of scale; enhancing exports and make India an integral part of the international supply chain.
"Due to this, we have succeeded in increasing the production capacity of high-grade steel and reducing its import.
The use of this high-grade steel has increased in critical and strategic applications.
Before you is the example of INS Vikrant," he said.
The Prime Minister said scientists of DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) developed the special steel used in the aircraft carrier and Indian companies produced thousands of metric tonnes of the high-grade alloy.
"INS Vikrant was completely made with indigenous capability and technology.
To promote such capability, the country has now set a target of doubling the production capacity of crude steel.
We currently produce 154 MT of crude steel (per year).
Our target is to achieve 300 MT production capacity in the next 9 to 10 years," he said.
He said India"s dependence on other countries for manufacturing of the aircraft carrier was not right.
"To change this, we were required to become self-reliant, and the Indian steel industry accepted the challenge with a new energy," the PM maintained.
Modi said India is rapidly moving towards becoming the world"s largest steel manufacturer and the government is actively engaged in framing necessary policies and creating conducive environment for further development of the sector.
“Due to everyone"s efforts in the last eight years, the Indian steel industry has become the second largest steel producing industry in the world.