CCI Finds 7 Regional Steel Associations in Breach of Anti-Trust Rules

India's Top Steel Associations Found Violating Anti-Trust Rules

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has found seven regional steel bodies in violation of the anti-trust rules as part of its wider probe into alleged price-fixing by India's biggest steelmakers. The probe, initiated in July 2021, is aimed at investigating India's largest steel companies, including Tata Steel, JSW, SAIL, and Rashtriya Ispat Nigam, for colluding to fix prices and restrict supply between 2018 and 2023.

According to sources, the CCI director general found that these associations, including the Jalna Steel Association, Hyderabad Rolling Mills Association, GI Manufacturing Association, Raipur Angle Channel Mill Association, Steel Association, Chhattisgarh, Raipur TMT Association, and Steel City Furnace Association, Mandi Gobindgarh, were acting as conduits for various steel companies, which are being probed for anti-competitive practices. The director general found no wrongdoing with respect to the Goa Rebar Association and the West Bengal Sponge Manufacturers' Association.

The commission's investigation, which began in 2021 on the complaint of the Coimbatore Corporation Contractors Welfare Association, is centered around allegations that top steel companies were colluding to fix prices and restrict supply. Such practices fall under the category of "hub-and-spoke cartels," where anti-competitive arrangements, like price fixing, happen through common vertical platforms like seller associations, distributors, etc.

The investigation has revealed that these steel associations were using WhatsApp groups to coordinate steel prices. The director general cited various WhatsApp group chats by these associations as evidence of alleged price-fixing. For instance, a WhatsApp message from the Jalna association on December 15, 2020, said, "Raipur As decided in Today's Steel chamber meeting it has been unanimous Decided to increase the rates of Raipur MT By 2000/- PmI from Tomorrow Till coming Tuesday."

| Association | Alleged Price Increase (Rs) | | --- | --- | | Raipur | 700-1,000 | | Raigarh | 700-1,000 |

The probe has also revealed that these associations coordinated price increases through Zoom meetings and WhatsApp groups. The director general submitted its report to the CCI in January 2026, and the commission will now decide how to take the proceedings forward.

If the commission feels there is a case, it could initiate adjudication proceedings and issue a regulatory order. Such arrangements may be in contravention of competition rules in India and if found guilty, the entities could face penalties going up to 10 percent of their revenue. The steel companies are already being probed at the corporate level for price fixing.