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India Steel Market Resilient: Coking Coal Surge Offsets Coke Curbs, Select Plant Activity High

India’s steel market displays resilience amidst fluctuating raw material dynamics and protectionist measures. Increased coking coal imports, as highlighted in “India’s May coking coal imports rise 45pc on year,” do not obviously align with the restrictions on coke imports detailed in “India extends coke import curbs till 31 Dec“, as no corresponding fall in activity could be observed using satellite data. Iron ore production showed marginal growth, according to “India’s iron ore output sees marginal 0.6% rise in April-May,” with no direct impact explicitly identifiable in the satellite-observed plant activity during the observed period.

Bar chart and satellite map of steel production activity in India

Overall steel plant activity in India averaged around 44% between January and May, dropping to 39% in June. Neelachal Ispat Nigam consistently operated at very high levels (83% to 91%) significantly exceeding the mean. Jai Balaji Jyoti Steels plant experienced a substantial drop in activity, falling from 15% in January to 4% in June. Jayaswal Neco Industries Raipur steel plant showed a positive trend, rising from 46% in January to 68% in June. No direct link between the plant activity levels and the provided news articles could be explicitly established, except for the general observation that high coking coal import levels (“India’s May coking coal imports rise 45pc on year“) broadly correlate with continued high activity at Neelachal Ispat Nigam.

Neelachal Ispat Nigam steel plant, an Odisha-based integrated steel plant with a 1.1 million tonne crude steel capacity based on BOF technology, maintained consistently high activity levels. Satellite data indicates peak activity at 91% in June 2025, continuing a strong performance from January. This aligns directionally with the increase in coking coal imports reported in “India’s May coking coal imports rise 45pc on year“, supporting its BF/BOF operations. No direct link between its high activity and coke import restrictions can be established.

Jai Balaji Jyoti Steels plant, also in Odisha, utilizes DRI and EAF technology with a significantly smaller 92,000-tonne crude steel capacity. The plant activity showed a marked decline, plummeting from 15% in January to 4% in June. Despite its ResponsibleSteel Certification, it is unclear if the restrictions on coke imports have a direct impact on the plant’s performance. No explicit link to iron ore production data could be identified.

Jayaswal Neco Industries Raipur steel plant, located in Chhattisgarh, possesses a 1.2 million tonne crude steel capacity through a combination of BF and DRI processes. Activity levels rose from 46% in January to 68% in June, moving against the overall declining trend of average activity levels of steel plants monitored in India. While it has a captive power plant, no explicit impact of iron ore output on its activity is evident.

The sustained high activity at Neelachal Ispat Nigam, despite coke import restrictions, suggests the plant has secured alternative supply chains or optimized its coke usage. The significant decline in activity at Jai Balaji Jyoti Steels plant warrants further investigation into potential operational or supply chain challenges. For steel buyers and market analysts, consider the following:

  • Neelachal Ispat Nigam: Given its consistently high activity, potentially leverage this plant as a reliable supplier for pig iron, LAM coke, and semi-finished products.
  • Jai Balaji Jyoti Steels: Monitor the situation closely. Given its production decline, consider diversifying procurement sources for billets, bars, and wire rods away from this plant in the short term.
  • Coking Coal Dynamics: The “India’s May coking coal imports rise 45pc on year” indicates a shift in import origins. Procurement strategies should consider diversifying coking coal sources, capitalizing on the increased availability from Russia and Indonesia.