Energy Costs Hit Indian Stainless Steel Industry

New Delhi, Mar 17 (PTI) India's stainless steel industry has raised concerns over rising global energy costs amid the West Asia crisis, saying the situation is impacting the overall operating expenses of their units.

Supplies of critical industrial gases such as propane/LPG and LNG have been impacted due to ongoing military tensions involving the US, Israel and Iran in the Gulf of Persia, Rajamani Krishnamurti, President of Indian Stainless Steel Development Association (ISSDA), said.

Geopolitical uncertainties typically influence global energy markets, freight costs, and trade flows, he said, responding to a query about the impact of the West Asia crisis on the Indian stainless steel sector.

"Since stainless steel production is energy-intensive and integrated with global raw material supply chains, prolonged instability could create cost pressures and supply uncertainties," Krishnamurti told PTI.


Global energy price movements can indirectly influence production economics, freight rates, and overall operating costs, he said.

The ISSDA chief also said that exports of stainless steel from India to the Middle East have been affected due to the situation in the Persian Gulf.

Jindal Stainless, on Friday, said that the supply crunch of industrial gases has adversely impacted operations at its plants in Haryana and Odisha.

The company's MD Abhyuday Jindal said that "due to the heavy dependence of stainless steel manufacturing on industrial gases such as propane/LPG and natural gas, several processes across our plants have been adversely impacted."

As per official data, India imports about 60 per cent of its LPG consumption, and out of these imports, about 90 per cent come through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been impacted due to current tensions in West Asia.