New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- India remains the fastest-growing major steel market globally, with steel demand projected to expand by 7.9 per cent in 2026 to 172.4 million tonnes, followed by an 8.0 per cent increase in 2027 to 186.2 million tonnes.

The worldsteel Short Range Outlook October 2026, released by the World Steel Association, noted that the momentum is sustained by infrastructure construction, steady private real estate, machinery investments, and automotive manufacturing.

As per the report, global steel demand will remain essentially unchanged in 2026 at 1,722 million tonnes compared to 2025, before returning to a growth of 1.7 per cent in 2027 to reach 1,752 million tonnes. A prolonged property downturn in China and geopolitical d...