The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF) has granted environmental clearance for ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel’s (AM/NS) 8.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) steel plant at Anakapalli in Andhra Pradesh, officials said.
Backed by an overall investment of Rs 1.5 lakh crore, the project will be India’s largest greenfield steel manufacturing plant. The foundation stone will be laid during the CII Partnership Summit on November 14–15 in Visakhapatnam, in the presence of top global CEOs, policymakers, and industry leaders.
The project is expected to drive major infrastructure development in the region, strengthen the Vizag–Anakapalli–Kakinada industrial belt, and anchor India’s position as a leader in sustainable steel production, a statement from Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s office said. Naidu described the project as a reflection of what Andhra Pradesh represents today — speed, transparency, and efficiency in governance.
According to officials, the AM/NS plant will transform the economic landscape of coastal Andhra Pradesh, generate lakhs of jobs, and significantly boost local manufacturing, exports, and skill development.
The plant will be developed in multiple phases, with the first targeting an 8.2 MTPA integrated steel capacity and an eventual expansion to 24 MTPA. It will employ advanced, energy-efficient, and low-emission technologies, meeting global standards for sustainability and carbon management.
When fully operational, the facility is expected to serve as a key anchor industry for the Andhra Pradesh Industrial Corridor, spurring steel-based downstream units, machinery production clusters, and logistics networks across north coastal Andhra Pradesh, officials said.
AM/NS, a joint venture of ArcelorMittal and Japan’s Nippon Steel, began its engagement with the Andhra Pradesh government in August 2024, seeking land and policy support to establish a world-class steel manufacturing hub in India’s fastest-growing industrial state.
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According to officials, the government allotted the required land within three months and extended single-window facilitation to help the company secure all statutory and environmental clearances without delay. With the MoEF’s clearance, all major approvals for the project have been obtained within 14 months.
Aditya Mittal, Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal and Managing Director of AM/NS, said in a statement that their vision is to create “not just a steel plant but a hub for innovation, sustainability, and new employment in India’s steel sector”.
