Sitharaman pitches small modular reactors for steel decarbonisation
In short
Sitharaman said small modular nuclear reactors could help India cut emissions in steel making. The summary says India’s crude steel output rose 10% in 2025 to 165 million tonnes and another 6% in January-August 2026, while world output fell.
This matters for India’s steel makers and energy planners. The report does not say whether any project, rule, or investment will follow.
What the reporting says
Sitharaman said small modular nuclear reactors could help power India’s steel decarbonisation, while citing steel production gains in 2025 and January-August 2026. The publisher-supplied summary says India raised crude steel output by 10% in 2025 to 165 million tonnes and by 6% in January-August 2026, even as global output fell. It also says India’s share of world steel production rose to about 9% from 5.2% in 2014. The immediate policy or project response was not stated.
Why it matters
Sitharaman linked small modular nuclear reactors to India’s steel decarbonisation and pointed to stronger steel output as context. The publisher summary says crude steel production rose 10% in 2025 to 165 million tonnes and 6% in January-August 2026, while India’s global share increased to about 9% from 5.2% in 2014. What specific policy action, financing, or deployment plan would follow was not stated.