Forging the Future: Anitha Raghunath on GSSE 2025 and India's Stainless Steel Rise

Anitha Raghunath, Founder & Managing Director of Virgo Communications & Exhibitions, has been driving innovation and growth since 2004. She leads flagship events like the Global Stainless Steel Expo. Let’s hear her insights on the upcoming GSSE 2025 in Mumbai.

Q1: What is the Global Stainless Steel Expo (GSSE) 2025, and why is it a milestone for the industry?
The Global Stainless Steel Expo (GSSE) 2025 is a landmark event uniting the stainless steel value chain and user industries. Scheduled for June 4–6 in Mumbai, it is expected to host over 15,000 stakeholders including CEOs, technocrats, officials, and buyers. As stainless steel becomes vital across infrastructure, transport, defence, and energy sectors, GSSE offers a key platform to showcase innovations, foster partnerships, and shape India’s industrial growth and global manufacturing leadership.

Q2: What makes GSSE globally relevant?
India is one of the fastest-growing players in the global stainless steel sector, with a strong domestic market and expanding exports. GSSE 2025 leverages this momentum by connecting Indian innovation with global demand. With over 200 exhibitors and global thought leaders, it aligns international trends and sustainability goals with India’s emergence as a key manufacturing hub and solution provider. GSSE serves as the bridge between India and global partnerships.

Q3: How is India’s stainless steel growth making it a global hub, and why is the material strategic today?
India, the world’s second-largest stainless steel producer and a major exporter, had an industry valued at USD 22.4 billion in 2023, with a projected CAGR of 7.29% through 2030. Driven by demand from construction, mobility, EVs, renewables, and defence, stainless steel plays a key role. GSSE 2025 acts as a strategic platform for this growth. Durable, recyclable, and low-maintenance, stainless steel supports green infrastructure, healthcare, transport, and urban development, driving sustainable growth and circular economies.

Q4: What are India’s stainless steel capacity goals, and how does GSSE support them?
India has outlined an ambitious plan to expand its stainless steel capacity from 6.6–6.8 million tonnes to 9.5 million by 2030, and 20 million tonnes by 2047. This aligns with growing domestic demand driven by infrastructure, urbanization, energy, and public projects. GSSE plays a key enabling role by fostering collaboration among manufacturers and policymakers to support both domestic and export growth.

Q5: What is the Stainless Steel Summit, and who benefits most?
The GSSE 2025 Stainless Steel Summit brings experts together to explore stainless steel’s impact on rural development, transport, the blue economy, and digital infrastructure. It supports sectors like construction, EVs, aerospace, defence, pharma, renewables, and heavy engineering—industries that rely heavily on stainless steel. It’s where these stakeholders connect and collaborate.

Q6: Does GSSE engage with the government on stainless steel policy?
Absolutely. GSSE is a dynamic platform for policy dialogue. Through the Stainless Steel Summits, the GSSE event fosters alignment between government and industry. These engagements help address regulatory challenges and pave the way for a more supportive ecosystem for growth and innovation.

Q7: How is GSSE accelerating India’s stainless steel growth?
With an annual growth rate of 8–9%, India is already outpacing global averages. GSSE not only accelerates but drives India’s narrative as a global hub for stainless steel innovation, positioning it as a manufacturing base and future-ready solution provider for global infrastructure and sustainability goals.

Q8: What collaboration and business opportunities does GSSE offer?
GSSE transforms ideas into tangible outcomes. Through CEO roundtables, B2G meetings, and deep-dive technical sessions, it becomes a space where innovation meets implementation. Whether you’re a manufacturer, policymaker, or investor, GSSE connects you with collaborators and insights needed to advance your goals.

Q9: How does GSSE promote sustainability?
GSSE promotes sustainability by showcasing green technologies, hosting sessions on low-emission production, and honoring eco-friendly innovations through its Sustainability Awards.

Q10: What role does Virgo Communications & Exhibitions play?
Virgo Communications & Exhibitions is the visionary force behind GSSE. With a legacy of curating impactful platforms, Virgo has positioned GSSE as more than just an expo—it’s a movement. The goal is clear: to champion stainless steel as a future-ready, sustainable, and strategic material shaping the world of tomorrow.

Q11: How does GSSE reward excellence in the sector?
The Global Stainless Steel 2025 Awards recognize outstanding achievements in sustainability, innovation, design, and functionality, highlighting projects and applications that shape the industry’s future.

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