The ongoing conflict in West Asia, particularly involving Iran and the United States, is driving up costs for the steel industry, according to Tata Steel Managing Director T V Narendran. He highlighted that the rising freight and insurance rates are the primary contributors to this increase. Although steel production has not been directly affected, Narendran noted that supply constraints for fuels such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are also adding to the industry's cost pressures. This situation is impacting the entire supply chain, particularly downstream manufacturing units reliant on steel, with fabrication units facing significant challenges. Furthermore, Narendran mentioned that the Indian steel industry recently engaged in discussions with the Odisha government regarding the sector's long-term growth. The focus was on expanding steel production in Odisha, which currently produces about 27 million tonnes of steel annually, with plans to increase this to 100 million tonnes through collaboration among steel companies.