The hot deformation characteristics of MRI 230D alloy have been evaluated in the temperature range 260-500 °C and strain rate range 0.0003-10 s⁻¹, on the basis of processing map. The processing map exhibited two domains in the ranges: (1) 300-370 °C and 0.0003-0.001 s⁻¹ and (2) 370-480 °C and 0.0003-0.1 s⁻¹. Dynamic recrystallization occurs in the both domains with basal slip dominating in the first domain along with climb as recovery process and second-order pyramidal slip dominating in the second with the recovery by cross-slip. In Domains (1) and (2), the apparent activation energy values estimated using the kinetic rate equation are 143 and 206 kJ/mole, respectively, the first one being close to that for lattice self-diffusion confirming climb. It is recommended that the alloy is best processed at 450 °C and strain rates less than 0.1 s⁻¹, where non-basal slip and cross-slip occur extensively to impart excellent workability. The alloy exhibits flow instability in the form of adiabatic shear band formation and flow localization at lower temperatures and higher strain rates. Forging of a cup-shaped component was performed under various conditions, and the results validated the predictions of the processing map on the workability domains as well as the instability regimes.