India’s steel production rises 2.6% in April-July 2026

India’s steel sector recorded growth during April-July 2026, with crude steel production rising 2.6 per cent year-on-year to 56.3 million tonnes (Mt), according to provisional data released by the Ministry of Steel on August 6, 2026.

Finished steel production increased 4 per cent to 54.3 Mt during the period, while hot metal production rose 1.5 per cent to 31.6 Mt.

In July 2026, crude steel production stood at 14.3 Mt, up 1.2 per cent from 14.1 Mt in July 2025. Finished steel production rose 1.4 per cent to 13.7 Mt, while hot metal production increased 1.6 per cent to 8.1 Mt, reported Business World.

Steel consumption rises faster than production

Domestic finished steel consumption increased 7.8 per cent year-on-year to 55.9 Mt during April-July 2026, compared with 51.9 Mt in the corresponding period last year.

In July, finished steel consumption stood at 14.4 Mt, up 6.5 per cent from 13.5 Mt in July 2025.

The April-July figures show that finished steel consumption grew faster than production during the period.

Top producers account for 31.2 Mt of crude steel

The top seven producers had a combined annual crude steel capacity of 117.4 Mt and produced 31.2 Mt of crude steel during April-July 2026.

They produced 29.1 Mt of finished steel and 29.3 Mt of hot metal during the period.

The remaining producers, with an annual crude steel capacity of 104.6 Mt, produced 25.1 Mt of crude steel, 25.2 Mt of finished steel and 2.2 Mt of hot metal.

The total annual crude steel capacity stood at 222.0 Mt, with crude steel production at 56.3 Mt, finished steel production at 54.3 Mt and hot metal production at 31.6 Mt.

The public sector accounted for 13.9 per cent of annual crude steel capacity, 15.9 per cent of crude steel production, 13.5 per cent of finished steel production and 30.5 per cent of hot metal production.

The top seven producers include SAIL, RINL, NSL, TSL Group, AM/NS, JSL(JSPL) and JSW Group.

Steel imports rise 36.6%

India’s finished steel imports rose 36.6 per cent year-on-year to 2.7662 Mt during April-July 2026, compared with 2.0249 Mt in the corresponding period last year.

In value terms, imports increased 43.1 per cent to Rs 28,330.8 crore from Rs 19,795 crore.

Finished steel exports also increased, rising 35 per cent to 2.2923 Mt from 1.698 Mt during the corresponding period last year.

Export value rose 29.4 per cent to Rs 18,105.4 crore from Rs 13,996.2 crore.

In July alone, finished steel imports stood at 702.3 thousand tonnes, up 9.5 per cent from 641.2 thousand tonnes in July 2025. Import value increased 40.5 per cent to Rs 8,116.3 crore.

Exports rose 44.1 per cent to 699.3 thousand tonnes in July from 485.4 thousand tonnes a year earlier. Export value increased 33.4 per cent to Rs 5,630.2 crore.

India remained a net importer of finished steel in terms of quantity during April-July 2026.

Steel prices fall in July

Domestic steel prices declined month-on-month in July, although benchmark products remained above their levels a year earlier.

The average price of 10 mm TMT stood at Rs 56,698 per tonne in July, down 5.6 per cent from Rs 60,068 per tonne in June. However, the price was 3.7 per cent higher than in July 2025.

The average price of 2 mm hot-rolled (HR) coil fell 0.4 per cent month-on-month to Rs 69,828 per tonne, while remaining 13.3 per cent higher year-on-year.

The average price of 0.63 mm cold-rolled (CR) coil stood at Rs 76,583 per tonne, down 0.6 per cent from June and 14.7 per cent higher than a year earlier.

The average price of 0.63 mm galvanised (GP) sheet stood at Rs 86,415 per tonne, down 0.1 per cent month-on-month and up 18.9 per cent year-on-year.

The prices are inclusive of GST and are based on average prices from Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai.

Raw material prices also decline

Domestic raw material prices declined in July.

NMDC Iron Ore Baila Lump, with 65.5 per cent content and 10-40 mm size, fell 4.4 per cent from Rs 5,700 per tonne in June to Rs 5,450 per tonne in July.

NMDC Iron Ore Baila Fines, with 64 per cent content and -10 mm size, declined 3.1 per cent from Rs 4,850 to Rs 4,700 per tonne.

MOIL Manganese Ore Lump, with Mn 37 per cent and Fe 7.5 per cent, fell 5 per cent from Rs 19,505 to Rs 18,529 per tonne.

Scrap — HMS II declined 5.1 per cent from Rs 40,665 to Rs 38,580 per tonne.

SAIL reports higher profit

Steel Authority of India (SAIL) reported a 138 per cent year-on-year increase in net profit to Rs 1,636 crore in the first quarter of FY 2026-27.

Revenue from operations stood at Rs 26,246 crore during the quarter.

SAIL also received a Licensing Agreement for Transfer of Technology (LAToT) from the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL), DRDO, to manufacture DMR-249A, DMR-249B and DMR-249BK grade steel for naval ships and submarines.

The agreement is aimed at strengthening India’s indigenous capability in specialised defence-steel manufacturing and supporting the country’s defence manufacturing sector.

NMDC records best-ever July production

NMDC recorded its best-ever July production at 4.06 Mt, registering 31 per cent year-on-year growth.

Its cumulative FY27 production reached 19.16 Mt, while sales stood at 15.15 Mt.

An NMDC delegation also held discussions with senior officials in Argentina to explore investment and partnership opportunities in copper and other strategic minerals, as part of the company’s international mineral development initiatives.

SAIL expands green steel initiatives

SAIL inaugurated its first Micro Pellet Plant at Rourkela Steel Plant in July 2026.

The facility has a capacity of 0.18 million tonnes per annum and converts steelmaking waste into value-added micro pellets. The plant supports efforts to reduce landfill waste and improve raw material self-sufficiency by recycling process residues.

SAIL, through its Rourkela Steel Plant, also launched its Mass Environmental Awareness and Tree Plantation Festival by planting 500 saplings at Ispat Amrit Van in Rourkela.

The initiative saw participation from over 300 students, employees and senior officials. Spread across 1.07 acres, the plantation includes a diverse mix of native and fruit-bearing species, with plans to plant 4,000 saplings across the year.

Key market indicators

The Nifty Metal Index averaged 12,556.4 in July 2026, down 3.2 per cent from June but 32.6 per cent higher year-on-year.

The PMI Manufacturing Index stood at 53.5 in July, down 1.3 per cent month-on-month and 9.5 per cent year-on-year.

The Baltic Dry Index averaged 2,769.9 in July, down 0.4 per cent from June but 52.2 per cent higher than a year earlier.

The data was sourced from NSE, S&P Global and Trading Economics.

India’s steel sector recorded higher production and stronger domestic consumption during April-July 2026. At the same time, finished steel imports increased faster than exports in volume terms, leaving India as a net importer of finished steel during the period.