Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy on Thursday, 6 August called on India to emerge as a global producer of clean energy technologies, arguing that in a rapidly shifting world, national strength is defined not by energy access alone but by the capacity to manufacture, innovate, and build resilient supply chains. He was delivering the keynote address at the Special Plenary Session on 'Energy Security and Supply Chains' at the 7th CII International Energy Conference and Exhibition in New Delhi.

India's Manufacturing Ambition in Clean Energy

Kumaraswamy outlined India's strategy to become a global manufacturing hub for clean energy technologies under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stressing that industrial capability and energy security are now inseparable goals. He noted that recent geopolitical disruptions, supply chain shocks, and intensifying competition for critical minerals have fundamentally reshaped global industrial priorities.

'India should not merely become one of the world's largest consumers of clean energy technologies. India must become one of the world's leading producers of the equipment, materials and technologies that will drive the global energy transition,' the minister said.

Steel as the Backbone of Energy Transition

Describing steel as foundational to the clean energy shift, Kumaraswamy said every major investment — from solar parks and wind turbines to transmission networks, battery facilities, ports, and green hydrogen projects — depends fundamentally on steel. As the world's second-largest steel producer, India is well positioned to meet both domestic infrastructure demands and growing global appetite for sustainable steel, he said.

The minister also stressed the urgency of transitioning to Green Steel, calling low-carbon steel production both an environmental necessity and an economic imperative. The Union government is promoting renewable energy deployment in steel manufacturing, energy-efficient technologies, and accelerated decarbonisation across the steel value chain.

Key Schemes: PM E-DRIVE and PLI for Batteries

On the heavy industries front, Kumaraswamy highlighted the PM E-DRIVE Scheme, with a financial outlay of ₹10,900 crore, as reflecting the Centre's integrated approach to building complete industrial ecosystems rather than simply encouraging vehicle adoption. The scheme simultaneously generates demand and strengthens domestic manufacturing, localisation, and supply chain resilience, he said.

He also drew attention to the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell Batteries, under which the Union government has committed ₹18,100 crore to establish 50 GWh of domestic battery manufacturing capacity — a move aimed at reducing dependence on imported battery technologies.

Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Magnets

Recognising that access to critical minerals has become a strategic necessity, the minister said India is actively strengthening domestic capabilities while expanding international cooperation in rare earths, advanced materials, and mineral processing. He cited the ₹7,280 crore Scheme for Promotion of Manufacturing of Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets as a major step towards reducing import dependence and securing supply chains across automotive, defence, renewable energy, and aerospace sectors.

Call for Broader Collaboration

Kumaraswamy called for deeper collaboration between government, industry, academia, research institutions, and financial organisations, asserting that resilient supply chains cannot be built through policy interventions alone. The minister framed India's overarching approach as rooted in the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat — building globally competitive domestic manufacturing while remaining integrated with trusted international value chains. With multiple large-scale schemes now operational, the policy architecture is in place; execution and cross-sector coordination will determine whether India meets its clean energy manufacturing targets.