According to Argus Media, citing preliminary data from the Joint Plant Committee of India's Ministry of Steel, the country increased its exports of rolled products by 36% year-on-year to 6.6 million tons in the 2025/2026 fiscal year. The primary driver was a surge in procurement from Europe during the second half of 2025, as buyers built up inventories ahead of changes to EU trade policies set for 2026. For the European market, this indicates intensified competition in the flat products segment and a necessary revision of procurement strategies by industrial consumers.
Key Supply Routes and Growth Factors
Italy emerged as the largest market for Indian steelmakers, receiving 1.07 million tons of rolled products by the end of the fiscal year—a 51% increase compared to the previous year. Vietnam took second place, where imports of Indian products rose sharply following anti-dumping measures against Chinese hot-rolled coils and investigations into potential circumvention. During the reporting period, shipments to Vietnam reached 772,300 tons, compared to approximately 11,000 tons in the 2024/2025 fiscal year.
Effectively, India capitalized on a window of opportunity where European and Asian buyers were seeking alternative sources of rolled steel. This allowed Indian manufacturers to rapidly expand their presence in foreign markets and strengthen positions in segments previously dominated by other suppliers. At the same time, such dynamics increase pressure on exporters from other countries, including those targeting the EU market.
Impact on the Steel Market and Solutions from winox.ua
For the European market, the growth of Indian exports means fiercer competition for contracts, higher sensitivity to trade barriers, and an increased demand for efficient logistics. For Ukrainian metal suppliers and consumers, this creates a need for more careful procurement planning, price risk assessment, and diversification of supply sources. In these conditions, winox.ua, as a supplier of rolled metal, stainless steel, and non-ferrous metals, helps businesses maintain procurement stability through a reliable product range, predictable supply terms, and partnerships with verified manufacturers.
It is particularly important that during fluctuations in the external environment, industrial companies increasingly choose partners capable of ensuring not only competitive pricing but also continuity of supply. For manufacturing enterprises, this directly affects contract fulfillment, capacity utilization, and cost control. This is why winox.ua’s expert approach to metal selection and supply management serves as a practical tool for mitigating market risks.
Factors Restraining Further Export Growth in India
Despite the strong results of the 2025/2026 fiscal year, future prospects for Indian exports appear more cautious. The market will be influenced by European trade barriers as well as geopolitical uncertainty, particularly the escalation of conflict in the Middle East. According to available data, this has already led to a suspension of offers to GCC countries and delays in some shipments for previously concluded orders.
An additional signal for the market is the 15% decrease in exports of Indian iron ore and pellets, falling to 25.78 million tons in the 2025/2026 fiscal year. Although this segment has a different demand structure, it demonstrates that foreign trade in metallurgical raw materials and finished products is becoming increasingly dependent on importer policies and geopolitical risks. For market participants, this necessitates the rapid adaptation of commercial and procurement strategies.