India–South Africa Explore Mining & Steel Investment Opportunities at Mining Indaba 2026
New Delhi: On the sidelines of Mining Indaba 2026, a high-level Indian delegation from the Ministry of Steel and leading steel CPSEs met senior South African officials to explore bilateral cooperation and investment opportunities across the mining and steel value chain.
The Indian delegation was led by Ashish Chatterjee, AS&FA, Ministry of Steel, and included the Director (Production) of NMDC Limited, along with senior officials from the Ministry and representatives of MOIL Limited.
They held discussions with Jacob Mbele, Director-General, Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa.
Focus on Mining & Steel Value Chain
The meeting centered on:
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Expanding cooperation in mineral exploration and resource development
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Identifying investment prospects in iron ore, manganese, and critical minerals
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Enhancing value addition and steel production capabilities
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Strengthening institutional collaboration between Indian CPSEs and South African entities
South Africa’s rich mineral reserves and India’s growing steel demand create a complementary framework for partnership, particularly in raw material security and downstream steel manufacturing.
Strategic Significance
India is among the world’s largest steel producers, and securing stable mineral resources remains a priority for sustained industrial growth. South Africa, known for its abundant reserves of manganese, iron ore, and other strategic minerals, presents potential long-term collaboration opportunities.
The engagement at Mining Indaba reflects India’s continued push to deepen global mining partnerships and strengthen raw material supply chains for the domestic steel sector.
Further discussions and technical-level engagements are expected to follow as both sides assess specific project opportunities and policy frameworks to facilitate cooperation.