India Imposes Restrictions on Low Ash Metallurgical Coke Imports

India will limit imports of certain low ash metallurgical coke, requiring import authorisations issued by DGFT from January to June 2025. Restrictions apply to specific countries and exclude high ash coke. This six-month rule can be altered by the government as needed, affecting materials used in ferro-alloy manufacturing.

In a significant trade development, India has announced restrictions on the import of certain low ash metallurgical coke. The decision, as detailed in a recent notification from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), mandates that such imports will only be allowed with specific import authorisations. These measures are set to take effect from January to June 2025.

Meanwhile, metallurgical coke with ash content higher than 18 percent remains unaffected by these new import limits. According to the notification dated December 26, these country-specific quantitative restrictions are temporary—lasting only six months—and will automatically expire on June 30, 2025. Additionally, the central government retains the prerogative to review and amend these measures at any time.

The restrictions specify varied import quantities for different countries: 51,276 tonnes for Australia, 78,646 tonnes for China, 249,771 tonnes for Colombia, 66,364 tonnes for Indonesia, 209,980 tonnes for Japan, 506,336 tonnes for Poland, 1,620 tonnes for Qatar, 89,182 tonnes for Russia, 46,478 tonnes for Singapore, 81,774 tonnes for Switzerland, 76 tonnes for the UK, and 45,662 tonnes for other nations. Metallurgical coke plays a crucial role in ferro-alloy manufacturing, making these restrictions particularly impactful on this sector. (ANI)