India’s Ministry of Steel is pushing for the removal of tariffs on coke

India’s Ministry of Steel has asked the Ministry of Finance to lift anti-dumping duties on imports of low-ash metallurgical coke. Reuters reported this, citing a relevant government document.

The ministry cites insufficient domestic supply of this product and higher prices for it. In January of last year, the country imposed a temporary anti-dumping duty on imports of low-ash metallurgical coke for a period of six months.

The Ministry of Steel highlighted the difficulties faced by the state-owned company RINL, which was unable to purchase sufficient quantities of coke at acceptable prices on the domestic market. This led to a 20% increase in production costs. Insufficient coke supply negatively impacts its operational viability and competitiveness—the company is currently undergoing financial restructuring with government support.

The ministry is also concerned about metallurgical SMEs, which are heavily dependent on commercial suppliers.

The country’s steel mills have faced difficulties in procuring coke since the restrictions were introduced. Major players—JSW Steel and ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India—have also expressed concerns about their impact.

According to BigMint, last year, imports of metallurgical coke to India fell by 21% year-on-year, to 3.81 million tons. The country imports this product mainly from China, Indonesia, Poland, Japan, and Switzerland.

It is worth noting that India accounts for over 60% of new blast furnace steel production capacity worldwide, despite global efforts to reduce emissions in the steel industry, according to a report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) on the development of the steel industry.