Union minister of steel and heavy industries H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday said the steel sector must urgently adopt technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and digitalisation to boost competitiveness and operational excellence.

Inaugurating a two-day conference in Bhubaneswar, Kumaraswamy underscored the pivotal role of steel in nation-building and reiterated the Centre’s commitment to expanding capacity, fostering innovation and promoting self-reliance. On Wednesday, he met chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi and discussed the expansion of the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP), which he also visited.

The conference marks the beginning of an intensive dialogue on the future of India’s steel industry. Kumaraswamy stressed the need for sustained investment in research and development and said collective effort from all stakeholders would ensure the sector’s long-term growth and competitiveness, contributing significantly to national progress.

Minister of state for steel Bhupathi Raju Srinivasa Varma highlighted the crucial role of steel in infrastructure development and said all themes of the conference are aligned with strengthening the industry and deepening its contribution to national growth.

Steel secretary Sandeep Poundrik said participation of the private sector alongside central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) would help share best practices, adding that India’s rising steel consumption is driven by infrastructure spending. He emphasised the need for faster adoption of new technologies in CPSEs and noted that such efforts must be led by in-house talent.

The first day of the conference featured sessions on technology-driven innovation, operational excellence, indigenous technologies and modern mining practices, with discussions focused on upgrading infrastructure, expanding capacity and improving efficiency.