Import of steel ingots from Britain gradually led to decline of the Indian iron smelting industry in the nineteenth century. There are some other reasons:

(a) The new forest laws led to the decline of craft of iron smelting.

(b) When the colonial government prevented people from entering the reserved forests, the iron smelters could not find wood for charcoal.

(c) Even when they were granted access the iron smelters had to pay a very high tax to the forest department for every furnace used. This reduced their income.

(d) Moreover iron and steel was being imported from Britain.