Import restrictions on metallurgical coke — a critical raw material for steelmaking — are posing challenges for domestic producers, according to Jayant Acharya, Managing Director of JSW Steel.
“Import curbs on metallurgical coke remain a concern for many producers in the country,” Acharya said on Tuesday, underscoring the impact of limited availability on production costs and supply chains.
India’s steel mills met only about half of their metallurgical coke requirements from domestic sources in the first half of 2025, Reuters reported earlier. The shortfall has intensified calls from the industry to ease the curbs and allow smoother imports to maintain consistent operations.
The world’s second-largest crude steel producer had introduced the import restrictions in January 2025 to promote the domestic metallurgical coke industry. In June, the government extended the curbs by imposing country-specific quotas and capping total overseas purchases at 1.4 million tonnes for the July–December period.
Industry executives say the ongoing restrictions could tighten raw material availability further, potentially affecting output and competitiveness in the global market.