Posted on 02 Jul 2025
India has extended quantitative restrictions on imports of low-ash metallurgical coke (met coke) for another six months, until 31 December 2025, Kallanish learns from a DGFT notification dated 30 June.
The total import quota remains capped at 1.427 million tonnes, with country-specific limits for key exporters including China, Australia, Indonesia, Russia, and Japan. The restrictions, in place since January 2025, aim to support domestic producers facing pressure from low-priced imports.
The country-wise quota from each country remains the same as it was between January to June 2025 with the highest volumes permitted from Poland, Japan, and Colombia.
Imports of low-ash met coke have more than doubled over the past four years. Following industry petitions, India has launched an anti-dumping investigation in May this year targeting shipments from six countries.
While the move is intended to promote self-reliance, some in the domestic industry believe the restrictions have had limited effect.
The country imported approximately 1.65mt of met coke during January to May, marking a 4% increase compared to the same period last year.
“Despite the quota, material is still entering under other HS codes or is being classified differently such as high-ash coke and bypassing the curbs,” a domestic producer tells Kallanish.
“This defeats the purpose of the restriction. The industry needs stricter monitoring, not just caps,” another source adds.
India’s total met coke production capacity is around 7mt/year, though capacity utilisation remains low due to price competition and limited blast furnace demand.
Steelmakers like JSW Steel and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India have raised concerns that the import restrictions limit access to specific coke grades needed for operations, potentially affecting productivity and expansion timelines.
Meanwhile, coking coal prices have softened, with cfr India prices for low-volatile material falling by around $23/t since January 2025, offering some cost relief to importers.
Source:Kallanish