The steel supplied by SAIL includes special quality DMR 249A grade hot-rolled sheets and plates. This specialized, defense-grade steel was meticulously manufactured and supplied from SAIL’s flagship facilities at Bokaro, Bhilai, and Rourkela Steel Plants, underscoring the Maharatna’s robust technological capability in supporting India’s maritime defense infrastructure.

SAIL continues to propel the nation’s Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives. By producing specialized steel for critical naval platforms, SAIL has become integral part to India’s defense indigenisation. To meet the emerging requirements of the defense sector, SAIL has taken extra measures well in advance to enhance the production of DMR Grade plates for defense requirements at its Plate-production facilities, specifically at the Special Plate Plant in the Rourkela Steel Plant. This strategic move is clearly reflected in India’s growing import substitution in the field of defense-grade steel. Its stellar track record includes provisioning the landmark indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, alongside the elite Project 17A stealth frigates-INS Nilgiri, INS Himgiri, and INS Udaygiri. Furthermore, SAIL’s specialized steel forms the backbone of formidable vessels like INS Ajay, INS Nistar, and INS Anjadeep among others. The successful induction of these advanced warships marks a defining milestone in India’s maritime capabilities and sovereignty.

SAIL CMD Dr. Ashok Kumar Panda said, “As a key partner in India’s defense sector, SAIL remains deeply committed to national self-reliance. To stay ahead in the defense sector’s growing needs, the company boosted its manufacturing capacity for DMR Grade plates -focusing heavily on the Special Plate Plant at the Rourkela Steel Plant. Delivering these high-strength DMR 249A steel plates protects India’s strategic independence while highlighting SAIL’s cutting-edge technical expertise.”

SAIL Chairman and Managing Director Ashok Kumar Panda said SAIL will continue hiring at lower levels for expansion and operational requirements. SAIL has also launched a voluntary retirement scheme aimed at reducing employee numbers by another 500 to 1,000, Panda said

The steelmaker plans capital expenditure of about Rs 15,000 crore in FY27, up from around Rs 9,100 crore in FY26, as it expands plants at IISCO, Bokaro and Bhilai.

Panda said annual capital expenditure could rise further to Rs 20,000 crore-Rs 25,000 crore over the following years as expansion projects gather pace. The company said it will continue focusing on operational efficiency, cost reduction and higher capacity utilisation while managing future borrowing requirements.

The award was subsequently handed over to Shri Manish Raj Gupta, Director (Technical, Projects & Raw Materials) and Additional Charge of Director I/c of Bhilai Steel Plant, who expressed gratitude to the Greentech Foundation and reaffirmed BSP’s commitment to sustainability. He commended the collective efforts of the BSP team, stating that this recognition is a tribute to their ongoing pursuit of greener and responsible steelmaking. The summit featured panel discussions and technical sessions on themes such as Gender Equality, Sustainable Water Management, Environmental Sustainability, and Sustainable Cities & Communities, with distinguished speakers including Shri Dharam Pal, IAS (Retd.), Dr. N. Manika, Shri Atul Kumar Verma, Dr. Sabina Yasmin, Shri Parijat Sinha, Shri Anupam, Shri Pavan Bakshi, and Colonel Pradeep Misra. Organized by the Greentech Foundation, the awards celebrate excellence in environmental management and corporate sustainability, reaffirming SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant’s leadership in sustainable industrial practices and environmental innovation.

During the  visit, Kumaraswamy participated in the Vishwakarma Puja ceremony at the plant. Kumaraswamy, alongside Amarendu Prakash, visited  key units of the plant, including the Modex Units, Coke Oven Battery 7 and 8, Blast Furnace-8, Steel Melting Shop-3, and the Universal Rail Mill, where he observed the production of hot metal, crude steel, and the rolling of the world’s longest 130-meter rail. Vijay Baghel, MP (Durg), was also present during the visit.

During a presentation at Ispat Bhawan, Kumaraswamy was briefed on BSP’s performance, production processes, and CSR initiatives. He expressed satisfaction with BSP’s contribution to the nation’s development and Chhattisgarh’s growth, urging the plant’s employees to continue their dedication to progress in education and healthcare.

Amarendu Prakash emphasized the significance of Bhilai Steel Plant as SAIL’s flagship unit and lauded the harmonious cosmopolitan culture of Bhilai. Anirban Dasgupta highlighted the efficiency of BSP’s Safety Circles, which focus on quality, safety, and employee motivation. Kumaraswamy also interacted with various workers’ unions and associations during the visit. They were welcomed by Anirban Dasgupta, Director I/c (SAIL-BSP), along with other senior officials

Three individual executives Employees from SAIL-Bhilai Steel Plant -Shri. Sandip Kumar Kar, ED (RDCIS), Shri. Saurabh Varshney, GM (SP-III –BSP) and Shri. Anup Kumar Dutta, CGM (SPs-BSP) won the award in recognition of their exemplary performance/extraordinary contribution that made the most significant impact in different areas of Organizational functioning.

Shri. Sandip Kumar Kar, ED (RDCIS) has won the award for introduction of innovative technique for strengthen SAIL in market position. Shri S K Kar played an instrumental role in development & approval (from RDSO) of 1175HT rails.

Shri. Anup Kumar Dutta, CGM (SPs-BSP) will be awarded for ‘Motivation (People Leader) Guru’ category for launching various innovative employee engagement & motivation programs during FY 2021-22, BSP for recognizing the work of unsung heroes, mate of the month, employee birthday celebrations, Yoga workshops on “Yog Se Nirog” etc., along with various safety programs for employees with a special focus on contractual workers.

Shri. Saurabh Varshney, GM (SP-III –BSP) will be awarded under the‘Digitization Mastermind’ sub-category, for taking-up multiple Industry 4.0 projects in his work area which will bring about transformational changes in the way of working and performance of Sinter Plant-III.

Shri. Anirban Dasgupta, Director I/c (Bhilai Steel Plant) congratulated the awardees for this achievement and also encouraged them to work with the same spirit and achieve similar accolades in future.

The objective of the SAIL Corporate Awards for Excellence is to inculcate a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in different areas of Organizational functioning in Plants/Units by creating a SAIL level platform for recognizing and awarding the exemplary performance /extraordinary contribution of executives of Plants/Units who have created huge positive impact in profitability, reduced cost, improved process efficiency, etc.