India and Sweden Advance Decarbonisation with Seven New Projects in Steel and Cement Sectors

India has taken an important step toward accelerating its low carbon transition with the launch of seven collaborative projects between leading Indian companies and Swedish technology innovators. These projects aim to decarbonise the steel and cement sectors, two of the most emission intensive industries that remain central to India’s infrastructure expansion and economic growth.

The initiative comes at a crucial time as India advances toward its 2070 net zero commitment. Reducing carbon output from hard to abate sectors has become essential for supporting industrial competitiveness while aligning with long term climate goals. A press statement announcing the partnership noted that these projects are designed to bring cutting edge global expertise into India’s rapidly evolving clean industry ecosystem.

Among the key projects are hydrogen based processes for rotary kilns in steelmaking, large scale recycling of steel slag to produce low emission cement and the deployment of artificial intelligence solutions to improve energy efficiency across cement manufacturing. These initiatives reflect a broader shift in India’s heavy industries where companies are increasingly adopting innovative pathways to cut emissions without compromising production capacity.

The seven selected projects will undergo pre pilot feasibility studies under the Lead IT Industry Transition Partnership. This effort is supported by funding from the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and the Swedish Energy Agency. The collaboration integrates the strengths of industry leaders, research institutions and global technology partners to create scalable climate solutions.

Prominent participants include Tata Steel, JK Cement, Ambuja Cements, Jindal Steel, Prism Johnson and Cemvision. Swedish technology companies Kanthal and Swerim are also contributing specialised expertise. Strengthening the research backbone of the initiative are top Indian institutes such as IIT Bombay, IIT ISM Dhanbad, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Hyderabad and Datta Meghe College of Engineering.

Together, these organisations aim to unlock practical decarbonisation pathways that can be replicated across India’s industrial landscape. The initiative signals growing momentum for large scale climate action within the country’s core manufacturing sectors and represents a model for international cooperation in clean technology development.