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Engineering goods

Export aluminium products

Primary aluminium, extrusions and sheets; Korea, Vietnam, China and Japan lead for metal, the USA and UAE for products.

Free to exportHS 7601
HS code
7601
Unwrought aluminium — ingots, billets, wire-bars (7601); also bars, rods and profiles (7604) and plates and sheets (7606).
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 as checked in November 2026. Aluminium scrap and some alloy forms have separate entries, and certain high-strength aluminium alloys and tubes are on the SCOMET list. Confirm your exact 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before you ship.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 4.62 bn
to 121 countries

What is exported

India is a large producer of primary aluminium, with smelters in Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand, and many extrusion, sheet and foil mills. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 4.3 billion of unwrought aluminium (HS 7601); South Korea, Vietnam, China, Japan and Malaysia were the top buyers. Profiles (7604) and sheets (7606) are smaller lines that go mainly to the USA, the UAE and the UK.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Ingots, billets and wire rodsPrimary metal from smelters, sold on LME-linked prices.
  • Extrusions and profilesWindow, door, façade and industrial sections (6063, 6061).
  • Sheets, coils and circlesFor utensils, roofing, transport and packaging.
  • FoilHousehold and packaging foil (7607).
  • ConductorsACSR and all-aluminium conductors for power lines.

Where it is grown or made

  • OdishaAngul and Jharsuguda — smelters
  • ChhattisgarhKorba — smelter
  • Uttar PradeshRenukoot — smelter and rolling
  • Gujarat, Maharashtra and Dadra & Nagar HaveliSilvassa, Pune, Ahmedabad — extrusion, sheet and foil mills

Export packing

  • Ingots in strapped bundles of about one tonne; billets in strapped bundles on timber.
  • Profiles with protective film, in wooden crates or paper-wrapped bundles; sheets and coils on fumigated wooden skids with moisture barriers.
  • Each bundle tagged with alloy, temper, heat or lot number and weight.

Who buys abroad

  • Metal traders and die-casters
  • Construction fabricators (windows, façades)
  • Packaging and foil converters
  • Power utilities and cable makers

The quality buyers ask for

Purity (ingots)
P1020A (99.7% Al minimum) or as per LME / buyer specification
Alloy and temper
Alloy series and temper named in the contract (for example 6063-T6 profiles, 1100-H14 sheet)
Dimensions
Length, thickness and tolerance per EN 755 / EN 485 or ASTM B221 / B209
Surface
Mill finish, anodised (micron thickness stated) or powder-coated (colour and film thickness)
Emissions data
Embedded emissions per tonne for EU CBAM reporting

Certificates

  • Mill test certificate (EN 10204 3.1)RequiredChemical and mechanical results for each lot; expected by all buyers.
  • CBAM emissions dataOften askedEU importers must report and pay for embedded emissions; they need your verified data.
  • ISO 9001 / ISO 14001Often askedQuality and environmental systems many buyers ask for.
  • ASI certificationOften askedAluminium Stewardship Initiative standard, asked for by some brand owners.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Ingots and billets reach the weight limit first: a 20-ft container typically carries about 24–26 tonnes. Profiles and sheets go in 20-ft or 40-ft containers by volume.

How it travels

Sea freight; break-bulk for large metal cargoes.

Storage

Keep dry to avoid water staining and white rust on sheets and coils.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Each bundle: alloy, temper, size, lot or cast number, net and gross weight, producer brand.
  • Country of origin and buyer's order number; shipping marks matching the bill of lading.
Where to get it tested

NABL-accredited metallurgical labs test chemistry (spectro), mechanical properties and coating thickness; search 'metals' in the NABL directory. For EU CBAM, use an accredited verifier for emissions data.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • EEPC IndiaNon-ferrous metals and their products are listed under EEPC in Appendix 2T; take your RCMC from EEPC.eepcindia.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Chemical composition certificate per lot (for example P1020 purity for ingots, alloy designation such as 6063 for profiles).
  • EU CBAM: aluminium is covered. From 1 January 2026 EU importers must buy CBAM certificates for embedded emissions, so they will ask you for verified emissions data.
  • LME-registered brand or buyer-approved smelter for metal trades; dimension and finish checks for profiles and sheets.
How to start small

Primary metal is a smelter business. A new exporter usually starts with extrusions, sheets, foil or finished aluminium goods bought from a mill with test certificates, sold to Gulf fabricators or Indian-origin importers on LC terms.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Ignoring CBAM data requests from EU buyers — they may switch suppliers.
  • Pricing without an LME-linked formula; metal prices move daily.
  • Shipping scrap or alloy under the wrong HS line.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 7601 by country, 2025-26
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2) and SCOMET list (Appendix 3)
  4. European Commission — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
  5. EEPC India — official site

Trade data

Indian aluminium products exports in numbers

From the Department of Commerce’s TradeStat, country by country. US$, Indian financial years (April–March).

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 4.62 bn
+0.5% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -2.5%
US$ 4.74 bn → US$ 4.62 bn
Buyer countries
121
Average export price
US$ 2.94
per kg · 1.57 mn tonnes shipped · US$ 2.67 the year before
South Korea: US$ 562 mnVietnam: US$ 426 mnChina: US$ 385 mnJapan: US$ 378 mnUnited States of America: US$ 315 mnMalaysia: US$ 258 mnTaiwan: US$ 235 mnMexico: US$ 227 mnItaly: US$ 172 mnThailand: US$ 168 mnGreece: US$ 147 mnTürkiye: US$ 143 mnNetherlands: US$ 131 mnBrazil: US$ 118 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 71 mnFrance: US$ 67.4 mnSpain: US$ 60.7 mnNepal: US$ 57.5 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 55.9 mnBangladesh: US$ 50 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 46.5 mnCanada: US$ 42.2 mnIndonesia: US$ 41.4 mnSouth Korea: US$ 562 mnSouth KoreaVietnam: US$ 426 mnVietnamChina: US$ 385 mnJapan: US$ 378 mnUnited States of America: US$ 315 mnUnited States of AmericaMalaysia: US$ 258 mnMalaysiaTaiwan: US$ 235 mnTaiwanMexico: US$ 227 mnMexicoItaly: US$ 172 mnThailand: US$ 168 mnGreece: US$ 147 mnTürkiye: US$ 143 mnNetherlands: US$ 131 mnBrazil: US$ 118 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 71 mnFrance: US$ 67.4 mnSpain: US$ 60.7 mnNepal: US$ 57.5 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 55.9 mnBangladesh: US$ 50 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 46.5 mnCanada: US$ 42.2 mnIndonesia: US$ 41.4 mnIndia
Where Indian aluminium products goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 4.5 bn4.5k2020-212021-22: US$ 8.79 bn8.8k2021-222022-23: US$ 6.67 bn6.7k2022-232023-24: US$ 5.34 bn5.3k2023-242024-25: US$ 4.74 bn4.7k2024-252025-26: US$ 4.62 bn4.6k2025-26
India’s aluminium products exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2025-26, lowest in 2020-21 — a 57% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 1.87 per kg1.872021-22: US$ 2.87 per kg2022-23: US$ 2.78 per kg2024-25: US$ 2.67 per kg2025-26: US$ 2.94 per kg2.942020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian aluminium products · US$ per kg · dotted = year in between not available

What next: a projection from the trend

The past trend carried forward — not a forecast by any authority. Sudden changes in policy, prices or demand are not in it.

2020-21: US$ 4.5 bn2020-212021-22: US$ 8.79 bn2021-222022-23: US$ 6.67 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 5.34 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 4.74 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 4.62 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 4.61 bn (US$ 3.18 bn – US$ 6.67 bn)4.6k2026-272027-28: US$ 4.36 bn (US$ 2.88 bn – US$ 6.59 bn)4.4k2027-28
India’s aluminium products exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 4.36 bn

Likely range US$ 2.88 bn to US$ 6.59 bn.

Trend
-5.4% a year
Fit (R²)
0.16 — weak, read with care
Based on
6 years of official figures

Method: a straight line through the logarithm of yearly exports (log-linear regression); range = ±1 standard error.

Biggest buyer countries

By value in 2025-26. Change is against 2024-25.

Name2025-26Change
1South KoreaUS$ 562 mn-1%
2VietnamUS$ 426 mn+80.8%
3ChinaUS$ 385 mn+86.7%
4JapanUS$ 378 mn+13.6%
5United States of AmericaUS$ 315 mn+40.4%
6MalaysiaUS$ 258 mn+11.4%
7TaiwanUS$ 235 mn+4.5%
8MexicoUS$ 227 mn-35.5%
9ItalyUS$ 172 mn+6.6%
10ThailandUS$ 168 mn-5.1%
11GreeceUS$ 147 mn+8.9%
12TürkiyeUS$ 143 mn-80.7%

Where demand is rising and falling

Only countries that buy at least US$ 1 million or 1% of India’s exports of this product. Change from 2024-25 to 2025-26.

High demand

  1. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 17.3 mn → US$ 55.9 mn+222.4%
  2. NepalUS$ 26.3 mn → US$ 57.5 mn+118.8%
  3. ChinaUS$ 206 mn → US$ 385 mn+86.7%
  4. VietnamUS$ 236 mn → US$ 426 mn+80.8%
  5. FranceUS$ 44.8 mn → US$ 67.4 mn+50.7%
  6. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 48.8 mn → US$ 71 mn+45.4%
  7. United States of AmericaUS$ 224 mn → US$ 315 mn+40.4%
  8. United KingdomUS$ 33.5 mn → US$ 46.5 mn+38.9%

Low demand

  1. CroatiaUS$ 48.2 mn → US$ 2.8 mn-94.1%
  2. TürkiyeUS$ 741 mn → US$ 143 mn-80.7%
  3. MontenegroUS$ 103 mn → US$ 39.2 mn-62.1%
  4. CanadaUS$ 65.7 mn → US$ 42.2 mn-35.7%
  5. MexicoUS$ 351 mn → US$ 227 mn-35.5%
  6. BangladeshUS$ 67.5 mn → US$ 50 mn-26%
  7. NetherlandsUS$ 161 mn → US$ 131 mn-18.5%

Which forms sell, and at what price

India’s exports by 8-digit tariff line, 2025-26. Average price = total value ÷ total quantity (TradeStat): the average of every shipment on that line, not the price of any one deal.

Tariff lineValue 2025-26ChangeQuantityAverage price
Aluminium ingots-not alloyed7601 10 10 · Aluminium, unwrought,US$ 2.99 bn-7.2%1.04 mn tonnesUS$ 2.86 per kgwas US$ 2.67
Aluminium billets - alloyed7601 20 20 · Aluminium, unwrought, alloysUS$ 917 mn-0.1%3,08,281 tonnesUS$ 2.97 per kgwas US$ 2.46
Aluminium, unwrought, alloys — aluminium ingots -alloyed7601 20 10US$ 330 mn+34.8%1,15,234 tonnesUS$ 2.86 per kgwas US$ 2.68
Rctnglr(including sqr)plts etc..of almnm allys7606 12 00 · Aluminium, plates, sheets and strip, thickness exceeding 0.2mm, alloys, rectangularUS$ 139 mn+6.3%40,083 tonnesUS$ 3.47 per kgwas US$ 3.22
Others-of-rectangular(includinguding square) platessheets,strip of aluminium-not alloyed7606 11 90 · Aluminium, plates, sheets and strip, thickness exceeding 0.2mm,, rectangularUS$ 49.3 mn+19.3%16,113 tonnesUS$ 3.06 per kgwas US$ 3.14
Aluminium, unwrought, alloys — other aluminium alloys7601 20 90US$ 41.3 mn+57.5%14,098 tonnesUS$ 2.93 per kgwas US$ 2.53
Hollow profiles of aluminium alloys7604 21 00 · Aluminium, alloys, hollow profilesUS$ 39.8 mn-11.7%7,109 tonnesUS$ 5.60 per kgwas US$ 5.08
Other bars,rods profils of almn alloys not elsewhere specified7604 29 90 · Aluminium, alloys, bars, rods and profiles, other than hollowUS$ 31.5 mn+3.3%6,487 tonnesUS$ 4.86 per kgwas US$ 4.81
Other bars and rods, other than wire rods7604 29 30 · Aluminium, alloys, bars, rods and profiles, other than hollowUS$ 28.9 mn+7.9%7,652 tonnesUS$ 3.77 per kgwas US$ 3.55
Aluminium, plates, sheets and strip, thickness exceeding 0.2mm, not alloyed, — circles7606 91 10US$ 14.4 mn+0.8%4,339 tonnesUS$ 3.31 per kgwas US$ 3.17
Hrd drwn bare almnm condctrs stl re-infrcd7604 29 10 · Aluminium, alloys, bars, rods and profiles, other than hollowUS$ 9.4 mn+24%1,849 tonnesUS$ 5.06 per kgwas US$ 5.94
Others-of-other plts,strips etc. of aluminium alloys7606 92 90 · Aluminium, plates, sheets and strip, thickness exceeding 0.2mm, alloys,US$ 8.2 mn+19%1,666 tonnesUS$ 4.90 per kgwas US$ 5.19
Other profiles of aluminium-not alloyed7604 10 39 · Aluminium,, bars, rods and profilesUS$ 7.2 mn-7.5%1,209 tonnesUS$ 5.94 per kgwas US$ 5.51
Aluminium, plates, sheets and strip, thickness exceeding 0.2mm, alloys, — circle7606 92 10US$ 5.2 mn+4.6%1,401 tonnesUS$ 3.71 per kgwas US$ 3.41

The world market

Each country’s own recorded exports and imports in UN Comtrade, 2023 (the latest year nearly every country has reported).

World imports
US$ 131 bn
2023
India among exporters
#6
of 147 countries
India’s share of world exports
4.1%
US$ 5.09 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 118.4 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 13 bn 10.5%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 9.37 bn 7.6%
  3. 3CanadaUS$ 9.18 bn 7.4%
  4. 4United Arab EmiratesUS$ 6.63 bn 5.4%
  5. 5USAUS$ 5.94 bn 4.8%
  6. 6IndiaUS$ 5.09 bn 4.1%
  7. 7MalaysiaUS$ 4.79 bn 3.9%
  8. 8NorwayUS$ 4.33 bn 3.5%
  9. 9ItalyUS$ 4.07 bn 3.3%
  10. 10BahrainUS$ 3.72 bn 3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 16.5 bn 12.6%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 13.1 bn 10%
  3. 3ChinaUS$ 7.33 bn 5.6%
  4. 4MexicoUS$ 6.38 bn 4.9%
  5. 5JapanUS$ 5.8 bn 4.4%
  6. 6Rep. of KoreaUS$ 5.22 bn 4%
  7. 7TürkiyeUS$ 5.06 bn 3.9%
  8. 8NetherlandsUS$ 5.05 bn 3.9%
  9. 9ItalyUS$ 4.99 bn 3.8%
  10. 10FranceUS$ 4.52 bn 3.4%

Opportunity: what these countries buy from the world, and from India

Each country’s own recorded imports in UN Comtrade, latest year it has reported. The long light part of each bar is demand other countries are filling today.

United States of AmericaUS$ 16.1 bnIndia 1.8% · gap US$ 15.8 bn
GermanyUS$ 11.8 bnIndia 0.8% · gap US$ 11.8 bn
ChinaUS$ 9.36 bnIndia 4.3% · gap US$ 8.95 bn
JapanUS$ 6.01 bnIndia 5.6% · gap US$ 5.67 bn
South KoreaUS$ 5.65 bnIndia 10.9% · gap US$ 5.03 bn
ItalyUS$ 5.03 bnIndia 2.9% · gap US$ 4.88 bn
NetherlandsUS$ 4.56 bnIndia 0.9% · gap US$ 4.52 bn
FranceUS$ 4.21 bnIndia 1.5% · gap US$ 4.15 bn
VietnamUS$ 3.5 bnIndia 9.4% · gap US$ 3.17 bn
SpainUS$ 3.24 bnIndia 2.6% · gap US$ 3.15 bn

TradeStat’s 2023-24 quantities are double-counted, so that year is left out of the price. Sources: TradeStat — Export Import Data Bank, Department of Commerce · UN Comtrade database (United Nations Statistics Division) · Figures taken 29 October 2026.

Step by step

How to export aluminium products

India is among the larger producers of primary aluminium and a regular exporter of ingots, billets and wire rod to Asian buyers. China dominates world production; the Gulf smelters, Russia, Canada and Australia are the other big suppliers. Demand is driven by vehicles, packaging, power lines and construction, and by the shift to lighter materials for electric vehicles. For smaller exporters the openings are in extrusions, foil and fabricated aluminium products, but EU buyers now also look at the carbon footprint because of CBAM.

  1. 01Pick the product

    Primary metal needs a smelter tie-up; extrusions and sheets are easier for traders.

  2. 02Agree pricing formula

    Use LME price plus premium and conversion cost, with a fixing date.

  3. 03Collect certificates

    Mill test certificates and, for EU, emissions data from the producer.

  4. 04Inspect

    Independent inspection of weight, dimensions and surface before loading.

  5. 05Ship

    Book containers or break-bulk; lash bundles to avoid shifting.

  6. 06Claim benefits

    Claim RoDTEP (within caps) and drawback on the shipping bill.

  7. 07Payment

    LC at sight is normal for metal trades with new buyers.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting aluminium products

What is CBAM and does it affect me?
It is the EU carbon border charge. Aluminium is covered, so EU buyers pay for the emissions in your metal and will ask you for data.
Why is the RoDTEP on ingots capped?
Appendix 4R gives 3% of FOB on 7601 ingots but caps it at ₹6.5 per kg (₹7.9 for alloy), so at high prices the cap applies.
Which council covers aluminium?
EEPC India (non-ferrous metals and products).
Can I export aluminium scrap?
Scrap has its own ITC(HS) entries and conditions; check them on DGFT before trading.
How should I price?
Link the price to the LME aluminium price on an agreed date plus a premium; avoid long fixed-price contracts.
Sources (5)
  1. EEPC India — official site
  2. European Commission — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
  3. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  4. DGFT — Appendix 4R, RoDTEP schedule for DTA exports w.e.f. 10.10.2024 (Notification 32/2024-25); rates continued to 31.12.2026 by Notification 41/2026-27
  5. DGFT — ITC(HS) export policy search (Schedule 2) and SCOMET list (Appendix 3)

Who buys Indian aluminium products

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