"Adding just one chapter reduces the value and importance of this industry," he said.
The sector needs a separate policy because it differs from carbon steel in many ways - the raw materials it uses, the applications it is designed for, and the manufacturing processes, he added.
JSL, the country's largest stainless steel producer, accounts for almost 50 percent of domestic production., sold 2.37 million tons in 2024-25.
"Nickel is critically important to us, and we don't have nickel in India. Like rare earth materials, nickel securitization should be encouraged," Jindal said.
While chromium is available in India, the government needs to ensure more mining and exploration, as well as reduce the burden of royalties, to encourage investment, he said."We need a robust ecosystem for stainless steel with a policy-level plan for education, ground-level awareness, and a skilled workforce, because stainless steel fabrication is very different from steel fabrication," he added.
