Steel expansion drive sees India rein in iron ore exports, boost imports

India, the world's fourth-largest iron ore producer after Australia, Brazil and China, has been exporting less over the past few years while importing more to fuel its rapid steel production expansion, Indian government data show.

India's iron ore exports totaled approximately 27 million tonnes during calendar 2025, falling by a steep 25% or 8.9 million tonnes from the previous year, according to statistics from the country's Ministry of Commerce and Industry. This marked the second straight on-year decline in exports, with the pace accelerating