Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday said India’s energy security is no longer determined solely by access to energy resources but increasingly by its ability to manufacture, innovate and build resilient supply chains for clean energy technologies, asserting that the country must emerge as a global producer of technologies driving the energy transition.
Delivering the keynote address at the Special Plenary Session on “Energy Security & Supply Chains” during the 7th CII International Energy Conference and Exhibition in New Delhi, the Minister said recent geopolitical developments, supply chain disruptions and competition for critical minerals have fundamentally reshaped the global energy landscape, making manufacturing capability a key pillar of national security.
“Today, under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India’s energy security is no longer defined solely by access to energy resources. It is increasingly determined by our ability to manufacture, innovate and build resilient supply chains for the technologies that will power the future,” Kumaraswamy said.
He stressed that India should not remain merely one of the world’s largest consumers of clean energy technologies but must become a leading global producer of the equipment, materials and technologies required for the global energy transition.
The Minister said the Government’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat aims to build globally competitive domestic manufacturing capabilities while remaining integrated with trusted international value chains.
Highlighting the role of the steel sector, Kumaraswamy described steel as the backbone of the clean energy transition, noting that renewable energy infrastructure—including solar parks, wind turbines, transmission networks, battery manufacturing facilities, ports and green hydrogen projects—depends heavily on steel.
As the world’s second-largest steel producer, India is well placed to meet growing domestic infrastructure requirements while catering to rising global demand for sustainable steel, he said.
Reiterating the Government’s target of achieving 300 million tonnes of steelmaking capacity by 2030, Kumaraswamy said future growth must be driven by sustainability, competitiveness and technological advancement. He emphasised that the transition to green steel has become both an environmental necessity and an economic imperative.
The Minister said the Government is encouraging greater use of renewable energy in steel production, adoption of energy-efficient technologies, improved resource efficiency and faster decarbonisation across the steel value chain to ensure Indian steel remains globally competitive.
Turning to the heavy industries sector, Kumaraswamy said India’s clean energy ambitions require strengthening domestic manufacturing across the entire industrial value chain, including advanced batteries, heavy electrical equipment, construction equipment, automotive manufacturing and energy storage systems.
He highlighted several Government initiatives aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing capacity, including the PM E-DRIVE Scheme with an outlay of ₹10,900 crore, which seeks to develop a comprehensive electric mobility ecosystem by promoting localisation and strengthening supply chains alongside increasing demand for electric vehicles.
The Minister also referred to the ₹18,100-crore Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell Batteries, under which 50 GWh of domestic battery manufacturing capacity is being established to reduce dependence on imports and enhance India’s long-term energy security.
Recognising critical minerals as a strategic priority, Kumaraswamy said the Government is strengthening domestic capabilities while expanding international cooperation in rare earths, advanced materials and mineral processing.
He highlighted the ₹7,280-crore Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets, saying it would help reduce import dependence and secure critical supply chains for sectors such as automotive, defence, renewable energy and aerospace.
Calling for greater collaboration among the Government, industry, academia, research institutions and financial organisations, the Minister said resilient supply chains cannot be built through policy interventions alone.
“Our objective is to build complete domestic manufacturing ecosystems that create value and generate employment. This is the essence of resilient supply chains in the twenty-first century,” he said.
Inviting industry stakeholders to partner with the Government, Kumaraswamy expressed confidence that stronger collaboration would accelerate India’s industrial transformation and help realise the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
