India and the Middle East emerged as key growth drivers in January 2026, despite the broader global slowdown in steel production. While worldwide crude steel output declined 6.5% year-on-year to 147.3 million tonnes (Mt), India recorded a robust 10.5% rise to 15.1 Mt and the Middle East posted a strong 12.6% increase to 4.8 Mt, underscoring regional resilience amid softer trends in major markets.

According to the latest data from the World Steel Association, the 69 reporting countries together account for about 98% of global crude steel production, indicating that the downturn was widespread across major steelmaking regions.

Regional performance mixed

Production trends varied significantly across regions. Asia and Oceania, the world’s largest steelmaking region, produced 107.6 Mt, down 8.6% year on year, weighing heavily on the global total.

In contrast, several regions recorded growth:

• Africa: 2.0 Mt, up 5.8%
• Europe (Other): 3.7 Mt, up 4.4%

Among major developed markets, EU-27 output declined 2.3% to 10.3 Mt, while North America slipped 0.6% to 9.2 Mt. Production in Russia and other CIS plus Ukraine fell 8.6% to 6.5 Mt, and South America edged down 1.2% to 3.4 Mt.

China drag offsets India’s momentum

Country-level data show a divergent performance among leading producers.

China, the world’s largest steelmaker, produced an estimated 75.3 Mt, representing a steep 13.9% decline year-on-year and the single biggest drag on global output.

By contrast, India reinforced its position as the world’s second-largest producer with output of 15.1 Mt, up 10.5% year-on-year.

Other key producers reported mixed trends: