Steel Industry Raw Material Imports

India's steel production industry requires the import of coking coal, a vital raw material for iron smelting in blast furnaces. Although India has significant coal reserves, the quality of coking coal required for steel production is limited domestically, necessitating substantial imports from countries like Australia. Saltpetre is not required for steel production—it is a nitrogen compound used in fertilizers and explosives. Rock phosphate is required for fertilizer production, not steel production. India has abundant iron ore and limestone but lacks sufficient high-quality coking coal, making it a critical import for the steel industry. > Steel production depends on coking coal; India imports this critical input despite other mineral wealth. Answer: c.