Schedule

Theme Setting & Lamp Lighting Ceremony

Mr. Manish Sarda — Dy. Managing Director, Sarda Energy & Minerals and Past Chairman, committee members of IFAPA — Speaker

A Lifetime in Ferro Alloys: Honouring a Legacy of Leadership

• Vision, Innovation & Institution Building — Chairman, Emeritus
• Beyond Mining: A Vision for Transformation — Director, SMIORE
• 53 Years, One Remarkable Legacy

Speaker:

• Shri S Y Ghorpade — Chairman Emeritus, SMIORE

Keynote Session: MOIL’s Roadmap for India’s Manganese Security & Steel Growth

• The keynote will explore MOIL's strategic role in India's manganese ore and ferro alloys ecosystem, highlighting production growth, resource sustainability, technology adoption and evolving market dynamics.
• The session will examine MOIL's roadmap for capacity expansion, quality enhancement, domestic supply security and supporting India's growing steel industry, while addressing opportunities and challenges emerging from global manganese markets.

Speaker:

• Shri Vishwanath Suresh — Chairman-cum-Managing Director, MOIL — Speaker

Manganese Ore in Flux: Global Supply Risks and Trade Realignment

• Are major suppliers stabilising output or facing structural constraints?
• India angle — demand & import dependence
• Movement between spot procurement & long-term contracts

Speakers:

• Ms. Rashmi Singh — Director (Commercial), MOIL Limited, India — Panelist
• Ms. Neha Gambhir — Director, Millionlink India Smelting Pvt Ltd, India — Panelist
• TBA, Eramet, France — Panelist
• Mr. Kevin Fowkes — Proprietor & Managing Consultant, AlloyMetrics, UK — Moderator
• Mr. Mark Camaj — Secretary General, Global Manganese Association — Panelist
• Mr. Sagar Jain — Raw Material Strategy, Tata Steel — Panelist

Global Steel Reset: Macro Headwinds, Trade Flows, Steel & Alloys Market Implications

• Global macro environment
• Global steel demand and supply dynamics
• How is China's ongoing production control shaping global steel trade flows?
• Impact of tariffs and a strong US$ on global steel production competitiveness

Speaker:

• Mr. Seiji Matsuo — Vice President (Steel), Sumitomo India — Speaker

Powering India's Steel Expansion: Demand Outlook and Alloy Demand Linkages

• Steel demand & production outlook in India
• Shifts in steel making routes & raw material security

Speakers:

• Mr. Sanjay Agarwal — Joint Managing Director, Shyam Metalics, India — Panelist
• Mr. Swapnil Gupta — Executive Director – Resource Transformation, PwC, India — Panelist
• Mr. Sachin Shetty — CEO, Quesrow — Speaker (Presentation) + Moderation

Networking Lunch

Mn Alloys: How Trade Barriers Are Reshaping Global Trade Flows

• Is protectionism accelerating regionalisation of Mn alloy markets at the cost of global efficiency?
• How is India navigating Mn alloy trade barriers — balancing domestic industry protection with export competitiveness?

Speakers:

• Mr. Laurent Montcoutié — Executive Director, International Manganese Institute (IMnI), France — Presentation
• Mr. Vinay Agrawal — Promoter, Hira Group of Industries, India — Panelist
• Mr. Maneesh Jain — VP Procurement - Commercial (Direct OPEX), JSW Steel — Panelist
• Mr. Akhilesh Kumar — Procurement Specialist — Panelist
• Ms. Nishtha Mukerjee Sinha — GM – Pricing, Indexing and Content (Iron Ore, Ferro Alloys & Coal), BigMint — Moderator

Drum Up the Energy | Post-Lunch Icebreaker

Beat the post-lunch lull with a high-energy interactive drumming session—an electrifying team experience designed to get everyone moving, engaging and recharged for the sessions ahead!

India FeCr Industry Outlook: Demand Surge, Cost Pressures & Global Competition

• India's stainless steel expansion vis-à-vis FeCr capacity/production.
• How secure is access to chrome ore for Indian producers — domestic vs. imports?
• Will increased South African exports displace Indian FeCr in key markets like China and Asia?

Speakers:

• Mr. Santosh Antony — Chief Marketing & Sales, Ferro Alloys & Minerals Division, Tata Steel, India — Moderator
• TBA, Indian Metals & Ferro Alloys Ltd (IMFA), India — Panelist
• TBA, Synergy Steels (Invited) — Panelist
• Mr. Suyash Trivedi — DGM, JSL — Panelist

India FeSi Outlook: Can Domestic Industry Compete Amid Imports and Bhutan's Expansion?

• Will Bhutan's increasing capacity significantly alter India's procurement pattern?
• What is driving silicon metal imports to India and its competitiveness against FeSi?

Speakers:

• Mr. Soung Jong Lee — Director, B.V. and D.V. Alloys (sister company of Carbon Resources), Bhutan — Panelist
• Mr. Navin Kumar Dadoo — Group Advisor, Pelden Enterprise Limited, Bhutan — Panelist
• Mr. Ashish Thakkar — VP, JFE Shoji India (Invited) — Panelist

Presentation on CBAM

• CBAM and Ferro Alloys: carbon compliance & India's export competitiveness.
• What initiatives are being taken by Indian ferro alloys producers to meet the standards in order to remain competitive.

Speaker:

• Mr. Harsh Choudhary — Co-founder, Sentra World — Speaker

Unlocking Energy Efficiency in Ferro Alloys: Waste Heat Recovery & the Power-Technology Opportunity

Discussion Points:

• How much waste heat is generated by submerged arc furnaces, and what proportion can realistically be recovered?
• CAPEX, operating costs, payback period and key factors determining project viability.
• Challenges in retrofitting WHR systems into operating ferro alloy plants and managing furnace variability.
• Power market dynamics and the role of waste-heat-recovery-based power generation in the ferro alloys industry.
• Impact of evolving power markets on ferro alloy producers; role of waste heat recovery in reducing dependency on grid power.
• Real project learnings and performance insights from experience; contribution of WHR systems towards sustainability and cost competitiveness.

Speakers:

• Mr. Tushar Ghalsasi — MD & CEO, Ghalsasi Smelting Private Limited — Speaker
• Mr. K.V. Kartha — CTO, M.E Engineering Pvt Ltd — Speaker
• Mr. Ravith Hansraj — Senior Systems Development Engineer, Tenova — Speaker

Gala Dinner

Gala Dinner by Trafigura

Gala Night | Celebrating Excellence & Music

An evening bringing together recognition, celebration and entertainment, culminating in an unforgettable live musical performance by Goa's leading band Black & White.

From Specialty Steel to Superalloys: India's Noble Ferro Alloy Opportunity

• How is the rise in high-strength and specialty steel production driving demand for noble ferro alloys like FeMo, FeV and FeTi in India?
• How fast is India's noble ferro alloy market growing compared to global peers?
• How does removal of BCD impact pricing and supply security in the changed scenario?

Speakers:

• Mr. R.S. Marda — Managing Director, Premier Alloys & Chemicals Pvt. Ltd. — Panelist
• Mr. Udayan Gutgutiya — Director, Team Ferro Alloys — Panelist
• Mr. Jugnu Kochhar — Purchase Head, Viraj Profiles Pvt. Ltd. (Invited) — Panelist
• Ms. Nishtha Mukerjee Sinha — GM – Pricing, Indexing and Content (Iron Ore, Ferro Alloys & Coal), BigMint — Moderator

From Exploration to Execution: Building India's Critical Minerals Ecosystem

• How fast is India's demand expected to grow over the next decade?
• How can India move up the value chain from raw material importer to processor/manufacturer?
• What are the key challenges in exploration — technology, investment, or regulatory approvals?
• How is India securing overseas mineral assets through strategic partnerships?

Speaker:

• Mr. Siddharth Nautiyal — Strategy and New Initiatives, LOHUM Cleantech Pvt. Ltd. (Invited) — Speaker

Ferro Alloys Roundtable: Markets, Trade & Exports

• Global Demand, Cost Pressures and Key Trade Barriers
• Strengthening trade flows, competitiveness, and industry collaboration

Speakers:

• Mr. Ayush Keyal — CEO, Mortex Group (Invited) — Panelist
• TBA — World Metals & Alloys — Panelist
• Mr. Souvik Mukherjee — General Manager, Marubeni India Pvt Ltd (Invited) — Panelist

The Art of Reinvention: Leadership, Resilience & Staying Relevant

• An inspiring, high-energy conversation on resilience, reinvention and leading through uncertainty.
• Practical takeaways on building high-performing teams and staying purpose-driven in a changing industry.

Speaker:

• Mr. Ashish Vidyarthi

Closing Remarks