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Informist, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026

NEW DELHI – India catered to only 1.8% of global metals and ores import demand in 2025, NITI Aayog said in its Trade Watch Quarterly report Wednesday. The global metals and ores sector represents a $2 trillion import market, of which India catered to $36.8 billion of the global demand, the report titled "Thematic Analysis: Metals and Ores Trade" said. 

"The global imports of metals and ores increased from $1.2 tn (trillion) in 2015 to $2 tn (trillion) in 2025, accounting for nearly 7.5% of world merchandise imports. During the same period, India's metals exports increased from $21.8 bn (billion) to $36.8 bn (billion), while India's share of global metals and ores demand rose marginally from 1.7% in 2015 to 1.8% in 2025. Iron and steel and articles of iron and steel alone constitute 50.9% of global metals demand, but India captures only 2.5% of this market, according to the report. 

India's metals export competitiveness remains concentrated in traditional segments, while global demand has increasingly shifted towards copper, aluminium and nickel, the report said. India's share in global lead exports has risen to 12.1%, whereas export share in major products such as iron and steel has remained largely stagnant, it added. 

Among metals, aluminium has emerged as one of the fastest-growing export segments, with exports rising to $6.8 billion and India's export share of global aluminium demand increasing from 1.7% in 2015 to 2.6% in 2025, as per the report. Meanwhile, iron and steel exports were $9.9 billion in 2025. 

"At the same time, India's export value remains relatively small in several high-value non-ferrous metals, including nickel, tin and copper products, highlighting opportunities for greater value addition and diversification into emerging metal value chains," the report said. 

India remains a net importer of both iron and steel and aluminium, with imports exceeding exports in 2025, as per the report. Iron and steel imports were $16.5 billion, while aluminium imports stood at $9.9 billion, the report pointed out. 

Meanwhile, copper imports more than tripled to $11.8 billion in 2025 and India remained 100% import-dependent on nickel and cobalt, as per the report. Among countries, the US accounts for 10–30% of India's exports across major metal categories, while China supplies over 25–35% of import demand in leading categories, the report said, adding that China is also a major import source across India's key metal categories, with its share ranging from around 25% to 43%.

"The metals sector continues to face structural competitiveness constraints, with the availability and competitiveness of domestic raw materials being affected by mineral costs and delays in mine operationalisation. Downstream steel production is further affected by royalty and levy burdens, auction premiums and delays in the operationalisation of lapsed iron-ore blocks," the report said. 

According to the report, export competitiveness in the metal sector is being eroded by high energy, finance and compliance costs, particularly for steel exporters facing elevated renewable power costs, limited renewable banking, carbon border adjustment mechanism verification constraints and financing costs of around 5–7% for packing credit in foreign currency. "Import competition and market-access barriers are limiting expansion of specialised metals exports, with zero-duty imports of certain high-value alloys, rising steel imports under FTAs and significant tariff/quota barriers in the EU (European Union), US, Mexico and MERCOSUR constraining domestic capacity utilisation and export growth," the report said. 

The report suggests that strengthening domestic metals and ores trade performance requires rationalisation of mineral auctions and acceleration in mine development by reviewing royalty and auction-premium structures. The introduction of a single-stage sealed-bid mechanism with a realistic reserve price, and setting fixed timelines for re-auction and operationalisation of lapsed iron-ore and other mineral blocks can also strengthen domestic metals and ores trade performance, the report said. End

Reported by Astha Oriel

Edited by Akul Nishant Akhoury

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