Union Steel Minister H D Kumaraswamy has said that steelmakers need to collaborate with leading institutions like Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and IITs for research to create a globally-competitive and technologically-advanced steel industry. He said India's steel sector stands as the backbone of its industrial strength and a cornerstone of nation-building. "From skyscrapers to highways, railways to defence, steel powers our progress and fuels our ambitions." Speaking on the occasion of the National Metallurgists Awards ceremony here on Wednesday, he said: "To create a globally-competitive and technologically-advanced steel industry, our steelmakers need to collaborate with leading institutions like IISc and IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology) for research." Specialty steel, Kumaraswamy said, is also a crucial sector where research and innovation is the need of the hour. The Minister said that under the leadership Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is on a path t