India aims to double its iron ore production to counter cheap Chinese steel imports. A recent meeting led by Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal and Minister of Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy urged steel producers to boost output and exports by maximizing the use of their allotted mines, thereby reducing dependence on imports.

Currently, iron ore production in these mines is only at 50-55% capacity. The government is pushing public sector companies, such as SAIL and NMDC, which cannot maximize their capacity due to regulatory issues, to increase utilization. Companies that fail to use their mines may have to surrender them.

It was understood that some companies bid too high for mines, leading to challenges with profitability. To ensure sufficient domestic supply, large public sector units are also asked to meet local demand first. The government is also working to streamline regulations and environmental clearances to facilitate this goal.