This call invites proposals for pre-pilot technology feasibility studies aimed at decarbonizing the steel and cement sectors in India, under the India-Sweden Industry Transition Partnership (ITP). This initiative is part of the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT) and seeks to foster collaboration between Indian and Swedish entities.

Background and Objectives

The India-Sweden Industry Transition Partnership (ITP) was launched at COP28 in 2023 to facilitate low-carbon projects in hard-to-abate sectors like steel and cement. The ITP aims to achieve tangible results by COP30 in Brazil, focusing on strengthening institutional frameworks, unlocking technology demonstration projects, fostering innovation, and mobilizing finance.

Five working groups were formed under the ITP, including groups on steel, cement, innovation, carbon markets, and finance. These groups aim to facilitate industry-academia collaboration, technology development, feasibility studies, and demonstration projects. The current phase focuses on identifying collaboration opportunities and conducting preparatory activities for joint projects.

The primary objective of this call is to support technology feasibility studies and pre-pilot projects in the steel and cement sectors. Selected projects will be announced at COP30, showcasing the progress made in decarbonizing these industries through collaborative efforts between India and Sweden.

Call Details and Structure

This call is a joint effort between the Department of Science & Technology (DST) in India and the Swedish Energy Agency (SEA). Both agencies will launch parallel calls, coordinated as a single joint call, to support technology demonstration projects through feasibility studies.

The SEA has already launched its call for proposals, inviting Swedish companies and research organizations to apply with Indian partners. The overall budget from the Swedish side is SEK 10 million (approx. INR 9 Crore). DST India will announce a parallel call with aligned objectives, scope, and evaluation criteria.

The DST call will provide support funding to Indian applicants in tandem with the funding provided to Swedish applicants by SEA. Joint support for selected feasibility studies and pre-pilot projects will be ensured through coordinated evaluation and selection processes.

Eligibility Criteria for Indian Participants

Proposals must be submitted in consortium mode, comprising steel and cement industry partners and academia/researchers. The consortium should be led by a relevant industry partner in collaboration with faculty or scientists from recognized academic institutions or publicly funded R&D institutions.

• Participation of relevant Steel and Cement Industries and PSUs is mandatory.

• All Indian partners must be legal, separate entities, though there can be multiple investigators from the same entity.

Participating Indian companies must be incorporated in India, with at least 51% stake owned by Indian citizens. They must have been in operation for at least 3 financial years before the application deadline and be registered under the GST Act.

Funding and Project Duration

The DST budget for Indian participants is Rs. 9 Crores. The maximum budget for Indian participants should not exceed Rs. 4.5 Crore per project. Funds for the industry will be routed through the participating academic/R&D institution/laboratory.

The budget should include itemized costs for non-recurring (capital items) and recurring (general) items, with proper justification for each partner separately. The project duration is a maximum of 3 years.

Eligible costs include permanent equipment, pre-plant costs, manpower, consumables, contingencies, travel, and overheads. Manpower costs should adhere to DST norms, and overheads are applicable as per DST guidelines.

Timeline and Submission Details

The DST call for proposals will be announced on 25th June 2025. The deadline for submission of proposals is 1st September 2025. DST will share information about the SEA call on its social media channels, and vice versa.

Proposals must be submitted online through the DST e-PMS portal (https://onlinedst.gov.in/Login.aspx) in the prescribed format, along with all required documents, before the closing date. The Indian lead must submit the proposal on the DST portal, and the Swedish lead must submit the same proposal on the SEA portal.

Only proposals submitted on both portals will be considered for evaluation. The evaluation and announcement of results will align with the timelines detailed for the SEA call.