Tata Steel Limited has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB) to collaborate on the development of low-carbon steelmaking technologies. The agreement, announced on 17 March 2026, will focus on joint research and development aimed at reducing emissions in steel production.
Research teams from Tata Steel, Tata Steel Research and Innovation Limited, and USTB will jointly work across four areas: scrap-based steelmaking, steel waste valorisation, end-product performance, and carbon capture and utilisation technologies. The collaboration is intended to support the testing, piloting, and potential industrial-scale application of emerging technologies.
The partnership will leverage USTB’s academic expertise and its experimental and pilot-scale facilities to validate and scale up research outcomes. The companies stated that the initiative is designed to strengthen efforts towards innovation-led decarbonisation in steelmaking.
“Low carbon steelmaking and associated product development for our customers is the need of the hour. At Tata Steel, we are actively driving the global transition to low-carbon steelmaking, and innovation is at the core of this journey. Through our collaboration with USTB, we aim to unlock potential ideas and co-create technologies that will advance our sustainability goals and contribute to a cleaner, more efficient future for the steel industry,” said Subodh Pandey, Vice President – Technology, R&D, NMB and Graphene, Tata Steel.
“USTB and Tata Steel have maintained a long-standing partnership built on years of productive collaboration. This new initiative further strengthens their close ties and shared commitment to innovation. By combining USTB’s expertise in metallurgy and materials science with Tata Steel’s industrial strengths, the two sides will accelerate the engineering validation and industrial application of research outcomes,” said Shuqiang Jiao, Vice President of USTB.
“The green transformation of the steel industry is a major challenge faced by the global steel sector and a critical step toward carbon neutrality. USTB has conducted long-term research in areas including low-carbon emissions metallurgical technologies, circular steel development, carbon capture and utilisation, etc. The partnership between Tata Steel and USTB will advance low-carbon steel production technologies and contribute to the green and sustainable development of the global steel industry,” said Xinping Mao, Academician.
USTB, founded in 1952 and based in Beijing, focuses on metallurgy, materials science, and related disciplines. The university operates national laboratories, engineering research centres, and maintains collaborations with more than 270 institutions globally.
Tata Steel Limited is a steel producer with an annual crude steel capacity of 35 million tonnes per annum and a consolidated turnover of approximately USD 26 billion for the financial year ending 31 March 2025. The company has set a target of achieving net zero emissions by 2045.
