India sharply increased iron ore imports by more than 200% y/y in January-October

Imports of iron ore and pellets to India in January-October 2025 increased by more than 200% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 9.8 million tons. This is evidenced by trade data, according to Kallanish.

Iron ore shipments accounted for 8.3 million tons of the total volume, and pellets for 1.51 million tons. The sharp increase in imports is explained by attempts by steel companies to ensure production with stable supplies of raw materials with a high iron content amid a shortage of high-quality ore on the domestic market.

The largest importer during this period was JSW Steel, which operates at high capacity utilization and prefers high-quality ore. Most of its recent purchases come from Brazil for a metallurgical plant in the state of Maharashtra. The largest volumes of imports were cleared at the port of Jaipur, which has strengthened its position as a key gateway for blast furnace metallurgists on the country’s west coast.