India-Sweden Lead Seven Projects to Propel Green Transition in Steel and Cement

#NetZeroIndia #LeadIT #IndustryTransition #GreenSteel #Decarbonization #IndiaSweden #CementTech

"The match between Swedish and Indian organisations and companies, supported by key public institutions on both sides, is leading the way on how to model modern industrial partnerships." - Per Andersson, Head - LeadIT Secretariat

December 2025: : India’s net-zero ambitions have received a major boost with the launch of seven pioneering projects, a result of the India-Sweden Industry Transition Partnership (ITP) under the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT). These collaborations pair leading Indian companies and research institutions with Swedish technology innovators to fast-track the decarbonization of India’s essential steel and cement sectors.

Heavy industry is a significant contributor to global emissions. In India, iron and steel account for 10-12 per cent of national carbon emissions, while cement production adds nearly 6 per cent. As India works towards its net-zero target by 2070, these projects are crucial for sustainable infrastructure and industrial growth.

The seven selected projects will undertake pre-pilot feasibility studies, funded by the Indian Department of Science and Technology and the Swedish Energy Agency. They explore a range of innovative solutions, including:

• Utilising hydrogen in rotary kilns for ironmaking (Metsol AB, Hoganas, IIT Bhubaneswar).


• Recycling steel slag into sustainable supplementary cementitious material (SCM) for green cement (Tata Steel, Cemvision, IIT-ISM Dhanbad, JK Cement).


• Using microwave plasma to convert blast furnace off-gas CO₂ into recyclable carbon monoxide (Tata Steel, IIT Hyderabad, GREEN14).


• Employing AI for concrete mix optimization (Ecometrix AM, Prism Johnson).


• Assessing carbon capture technologies for cement production (Captimise AB, My Home Industries).

Per Andersson, Head of the LeadIT Secretariat, welcomed the partnerships, stating: "The match between Swedish and Indian organisations and companies, supported by key public institutions on both sides, is leading the way on how to model modern industrial partnerships."

This initiative highlights the growing international collaboration required to reduce emissions from hard-to-abate sectors, paving a greener future for India’s industrial backbone.

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