India has imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of low ash metallurgical (met) coke, a crucial raw material in steel production. The decision, effective as of Wednesday, December 31, 2025, follows preliminary findings by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) that these imports are being dumped into the Indian market, causing injury to domestic producers.
The imposed duties vary depending on the country of origin, ranging from $60.87 to $130.66 per tonne. Specific duty rates include:
- Australia: $73.55/tonne
- China: $130.66/tonne (highest)
- Columbia: $120/tonne
- Indonesia: $82.75/mt
- Russia: $85.12/mt
- Japan: $60.87/mt
The DGTR's investigation concluded that low ash met coke was being exported to India at prices below its normal value, leading to dumping. This undercutting of domestic prices, reportedly by 15-25% compared to US prices, has eroded the profitability of Indian manufacturers, who experienced financial losses in fiscal years 2023 and 2024. The Indian Metallurgical Coke Manufacturers Association (IMCOM) filed the application that initiated the anti-dumping investigation on behalf of the domestic industry.
The move to impose anti-dumping duties comes amidst existing restrictions on met coke imports, including safeguard measures and quantitative restrictions. The Indian government had previously set import quotas, limiting purchases to 1.4 million tons for each half-year period. These measures, including the new duties, have created constraints on both the volume and price of imported met coke.
The Ministry of Steel had consulted with the Ministry of Commerce on the anti-dumping duty and requested a levy of $125/t.
Several factors prompted the imposition of these duties. Domestic producers have been facing challenges due to cheaper imports. Furthermore, India possesses sufficient domestic capacity to meet its demand for low ash met coke. Demand was at 6.39 million tonnes, while domestic capacity stood at 6.71 million tonnes.
Market participants anticipate that the anti-dumping duties will impact trade flows. While Indonesian coke was previously the most competitive import source, even with the duties, it may remain more competitive than other origins. Some buyers may temporarily shift to domestic coke if Indonesian prices increase after the duties take effect.
According to a report by the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), these import curbs on low ash met coke could potentially increase steel prices in India. They also state that domestic coal is unsuitable for efficient blast furnace steelmaking because it contains 14-15 percent ash, while the imported LAM coke accounts for 35-40 percent of steel production costs.
