ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Inaugurates Advanced Automotive Steel Mill in Hazira to Boost Self‑Reliance

• Pickling Line and Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) inaugurated by His Excellency Mr. Keiichi Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India
• New line marks a major step towards making India fully self‑reliant in the production of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) to meet growing needs of the automotive industry
• Latest unit will support indigenous production of a diverse range of world‑class automotive steel, including first‑of‑its‑kind, patented products, and strengthen the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat

ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India) today announced the inauguration of an advanced Pickling Line and Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) by His Excellency Mr. Keiichi Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India at the company’s flagship plant in Hazira, Gujarat.

With a capacity of 2 million tonnes per annum, the state-of-the-art PLTCM has been inaugurated as a key addition to AM/NS India’s automotive manufacturing capabilities and will soon be configured to produce high‑quality, cold‑rolled base steel, which will be used to manufacture world-class products, including first-of-its kind as well as patented steel solutions from parent companies ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel. The new line marks a major step towards making India fully self‑reliant in the production of Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS) to meet the growing needs of the automotive industry.

Among the most advanced production lines in India, the facility integrates state‑of‑the‑art process technology, superior automation, and globally benchmarked quality systems, drawing on the deep technical expertise of the parent companies. The facility is designed to support the manufacturing of advanced automotive steel for Advanced High Strength Steel (AHSS), Galvannealed (GA), Galvanised (GI), and Press Hardened Steel (PHS) applications, having an edge over other mills in the country, providing end-to-end solutions to all automotive companies. These solutions are designed to meet global sustainability standards, enable vehicle lightweighting for improved efficiency and performance, and enhance safety in line with Bharat NCAP (BNCAP) norms.

The dedicated automotive line will significantly strengthen ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India’s downstream capabilities, aligning them with global benchmarks and supporting the production of AHSS with strength levels of up to 1180 MPa.

The inauguration forms part of AM/NS India’s ongoing ₹ 60,000-crore expansion project at its flagship plant in Hazira, Gujarat, to develop upstream, downstream, and other enabling facilities.

His Excellency Mr. Keiichi Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India, toured the plant to gain firsthand insight into the scale of operations and its growth trajectory.

His Excellency Mr. Keiichi Ono, Ambassador of Japan to India, said: “I congratulate AM/NS India on the commencement of production at its state-of-the-art automotive steel sheet production line at the Hazira plant.

Japanese advanced technology has contributed significantly to the launch of high-end steel product manufacturing in India. This signifies that Japan’s contribution to the “Make in India, Make for the World” initiative has entered a new phase.

Japan and India share a mutually complementary relationship, where Japan’s technology and capital are complemented by India’s manufacturing capacity and growing demand. Having witnessed the vitality of the Hazira Steel Plant firsthand, I am confident that industrial cooperation between Japan and India, and the future of Viksit Bharat, will be a bright one.”

Mr. Dilip Oommen, Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AM/NS India), said: “ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India is firmly committed to the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ initiatives. In line with the commitment and guided by our brand promise – ‘Smarter Steels, Brighter Futures’, we are building state-of-the-art steelmaking assets by leveraging the unparalleled technology and expertise of our parent companies, ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel – both globally recognised leaders for offering the best automotive steel solutions. The inauguration of the Pickling Line and Tandem Cold Mill (PLTCM) marks an important milestone in this journey, creating the foundation for manufacturing high‑quality, high‑grade automotive steels domestically. This will support import substitution, enhance supply chain resilience, and enable the automotive industry’s transition towards safer, lighter, and more sustainable mobility solutions. It reinforces India’s position as a competitive manufacturing hub aligned with the requirements of next-generation vehicles and global automotive standards.”

The new unit will contribute to meet the growing demand for high-quality, value-added automotive steel in India, which currently stands at 7.8 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) for flat steel and is projected to grow by 6-7% annually. As India rapidly emerges as a global automotive powerhouse – already the world’s third-largest automotive producer with aspirations to become the second largest, the need for world-class steel to support premium and technologically advanced vehicles is becoming more critical.