Explanation
In India, the steel production industry requires the import of:
(C) Coking coal
Coking coal is a crucial raw material in the production of steel, particularly through the blast furnace route. India is deficient in high-quality coking coal and thus relies on imports from countries such as Australia, Indonesia, and South Africa to meet its coking coal requirements.
The other options mentioned, such as saltpetre, rock phosphate, and gold, are not directly associated with the steel production industry in India. Saltpetre is primarily used in fertilizer production and explosives, rock phosphate is used as a source of phosphorous in fertilizer production, and gold is a precious metal and not directly related to steel production.