India is reaching out to Oman, Argentina, and Indonesia to secure cooking coal and iron ore for steel plants, Reuters reports, citing sources with knowledge of the matter. The talks are expected to take place on the sidelines of an Indian government-hosted global steel summit next month.

Why it matters: The outreach deepens India’s reliance on Gulf-linked supply chains as the region becomes central to both inputs and demand. Oman and Brazil together account for about 70% of India’s iron ore imports this fiscal year. At the same time, India is pushing to expand steel exports to the Middle East to offset weaker access to Europe following the EU’s carbon tax.

Supply strategy: The move comes as the world’s second-largest crude steel producer seeks to reduce its dependence on imports for critical inputs. India relies on ferronickel imports for stainless steel production, while Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel ore reserves. Oman already supplies iron ore to India alongside Brazil. With Argentina, New Delhi is looking to secure lithium and other critical minerals through state-owned miner National Mineral Development Corporation — as demand rises on the back of higher infrastructure spending and a shift in export markets toward Asia and the Middle East.

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