India’s appetite for imported iron ore continues to grow, even as domestic production hits historic highs. From January to April 2025, the country imported approximately 2.88 million tons of iron ore (including fines and pellets), marking a 76% year-on-year increase, according to trade data reported by Kallanish.
Key Highlights :
- 📈 Imports Soar : Iron ore imports reached 2.88 million tons in Jan–Apr 2025 — up 76% vs. the same period last year.
- 🌍 Top Suppliers: Oman and Australia emerged as the leading sources of these imports.
- 🏭 JSW Steel Leads Demand : The steel giant was the largest importer, reportedly sourcing ore from Oman for its western India plants amid local supply issues.
- 🌧️ Domestic Disruption : Prolonged monsoons in late 2024 disrupted mining operations, tightening local supply.
- ⛏️ Production Milestone : India produced 289 million tons of iron ore in FY2024/25 — a record high, up 4.3% YoY.
- 🔄 Pellet Capacity Expands : Pellet production rose to 105 million tons, supported by growing use in blast furnaces and expansion of steelmaking capacity.
- 🧱 Installed Capacity Growth : Pellet design capacity rose to 164 million tons per year, up from 148 MT in FY2023/24 (BigMint data).
Despite a strong domestic mining performance, India’s growing steel sector and periodic supply chain interruptions are prompting a greater reliance on overseas sourcing — especially for key players like JSW Steel.
