India, RAK Mull Long Term Deal For Limestone And Green Steel

03 Jul 2025 CW Team

Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy met Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) ruler Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi in Dubai to discuss securing long term access to low silica limestone from the UAE and collaborating on green steel production. The talks coincided with the Minister’s inauguration of new overseas offices for state owned engineering firm MECON and miner NMDC.

Both sides examined opportunities in green hydrogen, value added steel exports from India, and setting up calcined lime plants in RAK that would use the emirate’s limestone and natural gas. Kumaraswamy invited RAK to join Indian ventures in infrastructure, energy components and raw material supply chains, calling steel “the backbone of our infrastructure, mobility, energy and manufacturing sectors”. RAK’s mineral resources and focus on clean energy, he said, make it a natural partner for India’s next generation steel strategy.

NMDC’s Dubai base will hunt for mineral asset acquisitions, joint venture partners, and diversified supplies of steel grade limestone, dolomite and other critical minerals for India’s clean energy transition. Dubai’s location at the junction of Asia, Africa and Europe positions the office as a hub for building international supply chains that feed Indian industry.

MECON’s new branch will lead on industrial project execution, oil and gas infrastructure design, steel plant expansion consultancy, green steel decarbonisation plans and digital twin technologies.

SAIL, India’s largest steelmaker, already imports about 2.5 million tonnes of limestone a year from RAK based Stevin Rock and plans to raise volumes as it increases capacity from 20 to 35 million tonnes per annum.

Infrastructure Transport

30 May 2026

Chembur Metro to Boost East Mumbai Links

MMRDA is advancing eastern Mumbai’s urban mobility network, with the upcoming Chembur Metro Station set to emerge as a key interchange and the Mumbai Monorail preparing for relaunch.Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, Metropolitan Commissioner, MMRDA, conducted a site visit to Chembur Metro Station along with Kanhuraj Bagate, Managing Director, MMMOCL. He also visited the nearby VN Purav Monorail Station to review system preparedness and ease of interconnectivity.Once operational, the interchange is expected to offer commuters across the eastern suburbs quicker access, smoother transfers and seamless conne..

Herrenknecht TBMs Drive Thane–Borivali Tunnel Progress

Herrenknecht India has supplied two of the four tunnel boring machines (TBMs) required for the 11-km Thane–Borivali Twin Tunnel Project being developed by the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA). The project is expected to reduce travel time between Thane and Borivali from 60–90 minutes to around 15 minutes while easing congestion across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.The first two Single Shield TBMs, named Nayak and Arjuna, feature 13.34-m cutterhead diameters and are designed for hard-rock excavation. They will be deployed to tunnel through the challenging geological..

KBL Launches Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set

Kirloskar Brothers (KBL) has launched its Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set, an integrated fire protection solution designed to improve operational efficiency, remote monitoring and installation flexibility. The system was inaugurated by Ms Madhuritai Misal, Hon. Minister of State for Urban Development, Government of Maharashtra.The Smart Skid Mounted Fire Pump Set is a factory-tested, pre-packaged solution that combines FM/UL-certified motor and engine pump sets with IoT-enabled remote monitoring. Designed to deliver a flow rate of 170 m³/hr at a head of 100 metres, the system aims to provide..