Quick Answer India needs approximately 400,000 metric tonnes of CRGO steel annually. Domestic production meets roughly 10–12%. The gap is bridged by imports — imports that are constrained by a certification system that has repeatedly created supply crises. As of May 2026, the domestic production gap will not close meaningfully until FY2028 at the earliest. Every transformer built in India until then depends on a supply chain that is structurally fragile. Table of Contents 1.

India’s power and energy sectors are growing faster than ever. With the rise of smart cities, electrification of villages, EV charging infrastructure, and Make in India initiatives, the demand for CRGO (Cold Rolled Grain Oriented) transformer core materials is at an all-time high. Yet, sourcing the right grade of CRGO steel sheets—whether it’s M3, M4, or M5—remains a challenge for many transformer manufacturers, EPC contractors, and procurement engineers. So how do the smart