India extends provisional anti-dumping duty on low-ash metallurgical coke imports from six countries till 30 June

New Delhi: After extending the safeguard duty on imports of steel primarily from China and Vietnam till April 2028, India on Wednesday imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of low-ash metallurgical coke from Australia, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan and Russia.

The move came after an investigation found that imports dumped from these six countries were causing material injury to the domestic industry. The finance ministry notified the duty, based on the preliminary findings of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR).

According to the notification, the DGTR concluded low-ash metallurgical coke was being exported to India at dumped prices, resulting in material injury to domestic producers. The government said the provisional duty has been imposed to prevent further injury to the domestic industry during the course of the investigation.

Low-ash metallurgical coke is a critical input material for blast furnace-based steelmaking, which accounts for a large share of India’s steel production. It provides the heat and chemical reduction needed to convert iron ore into molten iron and also supports the structural stability of the blast furnace during operations.

As per the notification, imports of low-ash metallurgical coke originating in or exported from Australia will attract a provisional anti-dumping duty of $73.55 per metric tonne, while shipments from China will face a higher duty of $130.66 per tonne. Imports from Colombia will attract a duty of $119.51 per tonne, those from Indonesia $82.75 per tonne, Japan $60.87 per tonne and Russia $85.12 per tonne. The duty applies irrespective of whether the goods are shipped directly from these countries or routed through third countries, as per the order.

The product under consideration has been defined as metallurgical coke with ash content below 18%, excluding ultra-low phosphorous metallurgical coke with phosphorous content up to 0.030% and size up to 30 mm, with a tolerance of 5%, used primarily in ferroalloy manufacturing.

The provisional anti-dumping duty will remain in force for six months, from 31 December 2025 to 30 June 2026, unless revoked, amended or superseded earlier, as per the government order. The duty will be payable in Indian currency, with the applicable exchange rate determined as per the customs valuation norms on the date of filing of the bill of entry, it added.

Anti-dumping duties are typically imposed to provide interim relief to domestic producers while the investigation is underway, with the DGTR expected to issue its final findings after examining submissions from exporters, importers and domestic industry stakeholders.

An industry expert pointed to what he called a “policy contradiction”.

“India urgently needs a comprehensive review of its steel regulatory framework," said Ajay Srivastava, founder of the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI). "While the government shields domestic steelmakers through safeguard and anti-dumping duties and quality control orders on finished steel imports, it is simultaneously restricting access to critical inputs such as low-ash metallurgical coke. This policy contradiction is raising production costs, weakening competitiveness and ultimately hurting the very domestic producers it seeks to protect. Regulations on outputs and inputs must be aligned, not work at cross-purposes,” Srivastava said.

He said that the impact of these restrictions is already visible. In the first half of 2025, steelmakers were able to secure only about 1.5 million tonnes of metallurgical coke against demand of over 3 million tonnes, forcing them to rely on uneven domestic supply and raising the risk of production cuts. Since low-ash metallurgical coke accounts for roughly 38% of finished steel costs, a 20–25% increase in coke prices translates into a 3–5% rise in steel prices, squeezing margins and hurting competitiveness both in the domestic market and abroad.

“Protecting domestic metcoke producers is valid,but stacking quotas and duties on a non-substitutable input risks over-correction and broader macroeconomic consequences. A calibrated approach would lower steel costs, improve productivity, support MSMEs and strengthen growth. In steel—and in growth—inputs matter,” Srivastava said.