India extends import curbs on soda ash and met coke until December 31

Soda ash is used in industries such as glass manufacturing, detergents, and chemicals

The Central government has extended import curbs on soda ash and low-ash metallurgical coke until December 31, according to two separate notifications issued by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade late on June 30.

"Minimum import price (MIP) at Rs 20,108 per ton on import of disodium carbonated (soda ash) has been extended up to December 31, 2025," the DGFT said in one of the notifications. Previously, the MIP was valid until June 30 this year.

Soda ash is used in industries such as glass manufacturing, detergents, and chemicals. Companies such as Tata Chemicals, Gujarat Heavy Chemicals Ltd (GHCL), DCW Ltd and Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals are going to benefit from this extension as they are they biggest producers of soda ash.

In another notification, the DGFT said country-wise quantitative restrictions on import of low ash metallurgical coke, which was valid up to June 30, 2025 have been extended for another six months that is from July 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.

The countries in the list include Australia, China, Indonesia, Colombia, Japan, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, and UK. Imports of low-ash met coke have more than doubled in the past four years.

To curb imports, the government will allow a total of 14,27,166 ton of imports from these countries during the July-December period.

Metallurgical coke, particularly the low-ash variant, is an important raw material which is used in steel manufacturing and other industrial processes.

The curbs on met coke have raised concerns across major steel producers, including ArcelorMittal Nippon India and JSW Steel, who argue they hinder the companies' expansion plans because it is difficult to source preferred grades locally. On the other hand, the government wants  steelmakers to source met coke locally.

India has also started an anti-dumping probe into overseas supplies of low-ash met coke from Australia, China, Colombia, Indonesia, Japan, and Russia, following a request from an industry body.