India's Steel Export Flow by Month – Are Signs of Recovery Emerging?

Provisional monthly data from FY’25 (April to March) paints a detailed picture of India’s steel export performance across both product categories and top destination countries. Despite a challenging macro environment, India managed steady outflows across major categories.

🔩 Commodity-wise Trends (Apr–Mar FY'25)

Commodity    Range (mnt)    Peak Month    Lowest Month
Finished Flat    0.34–0.43    Apr (0.43)    Jan–Feb (0.34)
Semi-Finished    0.07–0.08    Apr (0.08)    Feb (0.07)
Stainless Steel    0.05–0.07    Mar (0.07)    May–Oct (0.05)
Finished Long    0.03–0.05    Mar (0.05)    Jul–Feb (0.03)

➡️ Observation: Finished Flat consistently dominated export volumes, while Stainless and Semi products maintained stability. A slight pickup in March hints at possible revival heading into FY’26.

🌍 Top Export Destinations – Country-Wise Flows

Country    Monthly Average (mnt)    Peak Month
European Union    0.26 (Apr) → 0.27 (Mar)    Mar (0.27)
Nepal    Steady at 0.06–0.08    Mar (0.07)
UAE    Hovered around 0.05–0.06    Jan–Mar
United States    0.02–0.04 range    Mar (0.04)
Saudi Arabia    Consistent at 0.02    Mar (0.03)
Others    0.16–0.23    Mar (0.23)

➡️ Observation: EU remains India's largest steel buyer, while UAE and Nepal show resilience. Volumes rose slightly in Q4, despite global pricing and trade challenges.

🔍 SB View: What This Means for FY’26
📉 India saw a sluggish H2 FY’25, but signs of rebound emerged in Feb–Mar across both commodity and destination metrics.
📦 Exporters are encouraged to focus on:
High-volume flat products
Long-term buyers like EU & Nepal
🔁 Recovery is expected if Chinese exports slow further and duties in Vietnam and EU ease.

✅ SteelBazaar Recommendation
Use Live RFQs to tap buyers in EU & MENA markets.
Optimize grade-wise exports with custom finish & sizes using SteelBazaar’s product mapping.
Track export trends monthly via SteelBazaar dashboards to stay ahead of demand shifts.