Archive · 13 Sep 2026
India Secures 1.64 Million-Tonne Steel Quota Under EU FTA
India and the European Union have agreed on special limits for India’s steel exports under their trade pact.
These limits allow up to about 1.64 million tonnes of Indian steel to enter the EU under tariff-rate quotas.
About 695,000 tonnes will receive benefits directly linked to the free trade agreement.
Another roughly 947,000 tonnes will be available under the EU’s most-favoured-nation system.
The quotas cover many kinds of steel, such as sheets, bars, pipes and stainless steel.
The EU is using these rules to protect its steel industry from too many cheap imports.
Steel entering outside the allowed quotas could face a 50% duty.
The quotas will be managed by the EU and reviewed regularly.
The trade pact is expected to be signed by the end of the year and potentially implemented the following year.
India will receive annual tariff-rate quotas totaling 1,641,470 tonnes for steel exports to the European Union.
The quota comprises 946,616 tonnes under the MFN component and 694,853 tonnes under the FTA component.
The quotas cover products including hot- and cold-rolled sheets, coated steel, stainless steel, bars, wire rods, pipes and tubes.
Steel imports outside applicable EU quotas will face a 50% duty under the bloc’s new steel regime.
Quota reviews will begin one year after the FTA takes effect and continue every five years.
- Who
- India and the European Union.
- What
- The EU has disclosed country-specific steel tariff-rate quotas for India totaling 1,641,470 tonnes annually under their proposed free trade agreement.
- When
- The draft FTA text was released after negotiations concluded on January 27; the quotas are to apply when the EU Steel Regulation starts applying, while the pact is expected to be signed by the end of the year and implemented the following year.
- Where
- Steel products exported from India to the European Union.
- Why
- The quotas provide India predictable access to the EU market as the bloc tightens controls to protect its steel industry from global overcapacity and imports.
- Total annual quota
- 1,641,470 tonnes
- FTA component
- 694,853 tonnes
- MFN component
- 946,616 tonnes
- Out-of-quota duty
- 50% under the EU’s new steel regime
- Largest product quota
- 509,605 tonnes for non-alloy and other alloy hot-rolled sheets and strips
- India’s current EU steel exports
- About 4 million tonnes per year
- Quota review schedule
- First review one year after the FTA takes effect, followed by reviews every five years
