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Engineering goods

Export steel pipes and tubes

Seamless, line pipe and welded steel pipes; the USA, the Gulf and Canada are the main buyers.

Free to exportHS 7304
HS code
7304
Seamless tubes and pipes of iron or steel (HS 7304). Large welded pipes above 406.4 mm outside diameter are HS 7305; other welded pipes and hollow sections are HS 7306.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2. Confirm the exact 8-digit line on the DGFT ITC(HS) search before shipping.
Registrations
3
IEC, GST and those below
India’s exports, 2025-26
US$ 2.32 bn
to 156 countries

What is exported

Mills in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh make seamless pipes, large-diameter line pipe and ERW pipes. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 530 million of seamless pipes (HS 7304), US$ 1 billion of large welded pipes (HS 7305) and US$ 772 million of other welded pipes (HS 7306); the USA led for seamless and ERW pipes, while Qatar, the UAE and Oman took most large line pipe (Commerce Department data).

Varieties, grades and forms

  • Seamless pipes and tubes (HS 7304)Carbon, alloy and stainless seamless pipes for oil and gas, boilers and heat exchangers.
  • Large-diameter welded line pipe (HS 7305)LSAW and HSAW pipes above 406.4 mm for oil, gas and water pipelines.
  • ERW and galvanised pipes (HS 7306)Welded pipes for water, structures, scaffolding and furniture.
  • Stainless steel welded pipes and tubesFor food, pharma, chemical plants and decorative uses.
  • Hollow sectionsSquare and rectangular hollow sections for construction.

Where it is grown or made

  • GujaratAnjar–Mundra (Kutch), Ahmedabad and Vadodara
  • MaharashtraNashik, Mumbai and Jalna
  • Haryana and Uttar PradeshBahadurgarh, Hisar and Ghaziabad
  • Chhattisgarh and OdishaRaipur and Jajpur
  • Andhra Pradesh and Tamil NaduVisakhapatnam and Chennai

Export packing

  • Small pipes go in hexagonal bundles tied with steel straps; ends are bevelled or threaded and protected with plastic caps.
  • Large line pipe ships loose as break-bulk, with coatings protected by rubber pads and end caps.
  • Each pipe is stencilled with size, grade, standard, heat number and pipe number that match the mill test certificate.

Who buys abroad

  • Oil and gas companies and pipeline EPC contractors
  • Steel stockists and distributors
  • Water utilities and construction contractors
  • Boiler and heat-exchanger makers

The quality buyers ask for

Line pipe
API 5L (PSL1/PSL2, grades B to X70 and above) or ISO 3183
Oil country tubular goods
API 5CT casing and tubing
Process and structural
ASTM A106/A53, ASTM A312 (stainless), EN 10216/10217, EN 10219 hollow sections
Testing
Hydrostatic test, ultrasonic or other NDT, chemical and mechanical tests, with EN 10204 3.1/3.2 certificates
Coating
3LPE/3LPP or FBE external coating and internal lining as specified

Certificates

  • API Monogram licence (API 5L / 5CT)Often askedRequired by most oil and gas buyers for line pipe and OCTG.
  • Mill test certificate (EN 10204 3.1 or 3.2)RequiredRequired on every shipment; 3.2 includes third-party verification.
  • PED / CE marking (EU pressure applications)Often askedPipes for pressure equipment in the EU need material certification under the Pressure Equipment Directive.
  • EU CBAM dataRequiredEU importers must report embedded emissions of steel tubes; give them your emissions data.
  • ISO 9001Often askedQuality management system; expected by most industrial buyers.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Bundled small pipes in 40-ft containers (by length and weight); large line pipe as break-bulk on vessels — typically chartered for project quantities.

How it travels

Sea from Mundra, Kandla, Pipavav, Hazira, Nhava Sheva and Visakhapatnam.

Storage

On timber sleepers off the ground, end caps on, coating protected from UV for long storage.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Stencil on each pipe: maker, standard, grade, size, wall thickness, heat and pipe number, test pressure and API Monogram where licensed.
  • Bundle tags with count, length and weight.
  • Country of origin ('Made in India') on the product or its packing, as the buyer's customs require.
Where to get it tested

NABL-accredited metallurgical labs do chemical, mechanical and corrosion tests for mill certificates; search 'steel' or 'pipes' in the NABL directory. For API and PED, the licensing body or notified body audits the mill.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • EEPC India (Engineering Export Promotion Council)RCMC — prime iron and steel products are under EEPC (DGFT Appendix 2T).eepcindia.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Oil and gas buyers require API 5L or 5CT licensed pipe, hydro-tests, NDT and EN 10204 3.1/3.2 certificates.
  • US Section 232 steel duties, anti-dumping duties in some markets and EU CBAM reporting all affect price — check them before quoting.
  • Notification 15/2026-27 split several 7305 and 7306 tariff lines from 1 May 2026; use the new 8-digit codes.
How to start small

As a trader, start with ERW or galvanised pipes and hollow sections for stockists and contractors in the Gulf and Africa, sourced from mills that issue proper mill test certificates. Join EEPC and check trade-defence duties in your target market first.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Quoting the USA without counting Section 232 and other duties.
  • Mill certificates that do not match the stencilled heat numbers.
  • Coating damage in handling that leads to project rejections.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (7)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 7304, 7305 and 7306 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)
  4. American Petroleum Institute — API Monogram and licensing programme
  5. US Customs and Border Protection — Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminium and derivative products
  6. European Commission — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
  7. DGFT Notification 15/2026-27 (30.04.2026) — changes to Appendix 4R/4RE tariff lines w.e.f. 01.05.2026 (copy circulated by PLEXCONCIL)

Trade data

Indian steel pipes and tubes exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 2.32 bn
+12.5% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↑ +7.2%
US$ 2.16 bn → US$ 2.32 bn
Buyer countries
156
Average export price
US$ 1.25
per kg · 1.86 mn tonnes shipped · US$ 1.50 the year before
United States of America: US$ 294 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 241 mnTaiwan: US$ 184 mnQatar: US$ 172 mnOman: US$ 118 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 118 mnCanada: US$ 117 mnGeorgia: US$ 102 mnIraq: US$ 72 mnItaly: US$ 69.8 mnGermany: US$ 63.9 mnBelgium: US$ 63.3 mnBangladesh: US$ 60.6 mnNetherlands: US$ 54.5 mnChina: US$ 42.3 mnAustralia: US$ 40.5 mnEgypt: US$ 39.5 mnSpain: US$ 35.9 mnBrazil: US$ 24.2 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 23.4 mnIndonesia: US$ 23.3 mnTanzania: US$ 19.4 mnPoland: US$ 18.5 mnThailand: US$ 16.9 mnUnited States of America: US$ 294 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 241 mnUnited Arab EmiratesTaiwan: US$ 184 mnTaiwanQatar: US$ 172 mnOman: US$ 118 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 118 mnCanada: US$ 117 mnGeorgia: US$ 102 mnGeorgiaIraq: US$ 72 mnIraqItaly: US$ 69.8 mnItalyGermany: US$ 63.9 mnBelgium: US$ 63.3 mnBangladesh: US$ 60.6 mnNetherlands: US$ 54.5 mnChina: US$ 42.3 mnAustralia: US$ 40.5 mnEgypt: US$ 39.5 mnSpain: US$ 35.9 mnBrazil: US$ 24.2 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 23.4 mnIndonesia: US$ 23.3 mnTanzania: US$ 19.4 mnPoland: US$ 18.5 mnThailand: US$ 16.9 mnIndia
Where Indian steel pipes and tubes goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 1.29 bn1.3k2020-212021-22: US$ 1.54 bn1.5k2021-222022-23: US$ 2.02 bn2.0k2022-232023-24: US$ 2.13 bn2.1k2023-242024-25: US$ 2.16 bn2.2k2024-252025-26: US$ 2.32 bn2.3k2025-26
India’s steel pipes and tubes exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2022-23, lowest in 2025-26 — a 51% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 1.39 per kg2021-22: US$ 1.61 per kg2022-23: US$ 1.89 per kg1.892024-25: US$ 1.50 per kg2025-26: US$ 1.25 per kg1.252020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian steel pipes and tubes · 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$ 1.29 bn2020-212021-22: US$ 1.54 bn2021-222022-23: US$ 2.02 bn2022-232023-24: US$ 2.13 bn2023-242024-25: US$ 2.16 bn2024-252025-26: US$ 2.32 bn2025-262026-27: US$ 2.79 bn (US$ 2.45 bn – US$ 3.18 bn)2.8k2026-272027-28: US$ 3.13 bn (US$ 2.7 bn – US$ 3.63 bn)3.1k2027-28
India’s steel pipes and tubes exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 3.13 bn

Likely range US$ 2.7 bn to US$ 3.63 bn.

Trend
+12.1% a year
Fit (R²)
0.86
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
1United States of AmericaUS$ 294 mn-3.2%
2United Arab EmiratesUS$ 241 mn-30.8%
3TaiwanUS$ 184 mn+19,852.2%
4QatarUS$ 172 mn+105.9%
5OmanUS$ 118 mn+447.2%
6Saudi ArabiaUS$ 118 mn-51.6%
7CanadaUS$ 117 mn+28.5%
8GeorgiaUS$ 102 mn+78,192.3%
9IraqUS$ 72 mn-5.9%
10ItalyUS$ 69.8 mn+5.9%
11GermanyUS$ 63.9 mn-10.1%
12BelgiumUS$ 63.3 mn+65.9%

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. GeorgiaUS$ 130k → US$ 102 mn+78,192.3%
  2. TaiwanUS$ 920k → US$ 184 mn+19,852.2%
  3. OmanUS$ 21.6 mn → US$ 118 mn+447.2%
  4. EgyptUS$ 18.7 mn → US$ 39.5 mn+111.8%
  5. BulgariaUS$ 18.2 mn → US$ 38 mn+108.6%
  6. QatarUS$ 83.4 mn → US$ 172 mn+105.9%
  7. IndonesiaUS$ 11.6 mn → US$ 23.3 mn+101%
  8. BelgiumUS$ 38.1 mn → US$ 63.3 mn+65.9%

Low demand

  1. ChileUS$ 69.6 mn → US$ 350k-99.5%
  2. MoroccoUS$ 44.7 mn → US$ 2.3 mn-94.9%
  3. MexicoUS$ 28.8 mn → US$ 8 mn-72.2%
  4. TanzaniaUS$ 41.7 mn → US$ 19.4 mn-53.4%
  5. Saudi ArabiaUS$ 243 mn → US$ 118 mn-51.6%
  6. BangladeshUS$ 95.3 mn → US$ 60.6 mn-36.4%
  7. United Arab EmiratesUS$ 348 mn → US$ 241 mn-30.8%
  8. United KingdomUS$ 33.2 mn → US$ 23.4 mn-29.3%

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
Non-galvan pipe of other for oil or gas longitudinally submerged arc welded7305 11 29 · Iron or steel, line pipe of a kind used for oil or gas pipelines, longitudinally submerged arc welded…US$ 617 mn-16.5%4,82,171 tonnesUS$ 1.28 per kgwas US$ 1.41
Other,welded,of circular cross-section, made up of of non-ally steel tube/pipes7306 30 90 · Iron or non-alloy steel, tubes and pipes, welded, of circular cross-section in chapter 73US$ 360 mn+8.6%3,83,920 tonnesUS$ 0.94 per kgwas US$ 1.02
Non-galvan pipe of iron for oil or gas longitudinally submerged arc welded7305 11 21 · Iron or steel, line pipe of a kind used for oil or gas pipelines, longitudinally submerged arc welded…US$ 272 mn+66.3%3,42,743 tonnesUS$ 0.79 per kgwas US$ 1.06
Other tubs,pipe and holo profile of circulr cross-section of stainles steel,cold drawnor cold rolled7304 41 00 · Steel, stainless, cold-drawn or cold-rolled, tubes and pipes of circular cross-sectionUS$ 251 mn-1.6%38,864 tonnesUS$ 6.47 per kgwas US$ 6.83
Other,welded,of circular cross-section, of stainless steel tubes/pipes7306 40 00 · Steel, stainless, tubes, pipes and hollow profiles, welded, of circular cross-section in chapter 73US$ 168 mn+3.7%50,625 tonnesUS$ 3.31 per kgwas US$ 3.21
Iron pipes for oil/gas pipelines7304 19 10 · Iron or steel, seamless, line pipe of a kind used for oil or gas pipelinesUS$ 107 mn+49.5%96,282 tonnesUS$ 1.11 per kgwas US$ 1.11
Erw precision other tubes made up of other7306 90 19 · Iron or steel, tubes, pipes and hollow profiles in chapter 73US$ 73.9 mn+17.7%71,431 tonnesUS$ 1.03 per kgwas US$ 1.22
Other line pipe used for oil/gas pipelines made of non galvanised black pipe of other7305 19 29 · Iron or steel, line pipe of a kind used for oil or gas pipelines,, having circular cross-sections, external…US$ 66.3 mn+90.6%80,710 tonnesUS$ 0.82 per kgwas US$ 1.03
Of square or rectangular cross-section:7306 61 00 · Iron or steel, tubes, pipes and hollow profiles, welded, of square or rectangular cross-section in chapter 73US$ 52.6 mn-12.7%56,783 tonnesUS$ 0.93 per kgwas US$ 0.99
Other tubes,pips etc.,longitudinally welded made uo of other7305 31 90 · Iron or steel, tubes and pipes, longitudinally welded, having circular cross-sections, external diameter…US$ 32.9 mn+367.1%26,473 tonnesUS$ 1.24 per kgwas US$ 1.44
Other tubes,pipes etc..of iron/steel n.e.s.7306 90 90 · Iron or steel, tubes, pipes and hollow profiles in chapter 73US$ 29.1 mn+13.5%20,635 tonnesUS$ 1.41 per kgwas US$ 1.56
Non-galvan pipe of other for oil or gas7306 19 29 · Iron or steel, line pipe of a kind used for oil or gas pipelines in chapter 73US$ 28.5 mn-22.8%34,355 tonnesUS$ 0.83 per kgwas US$ 1.23
Other tube,pipe and holo profile of circulr cross-section of other stainless steel7304 49 00 · Steel, stainless,, tubes pipes and hollow profiles of circular cross-sectionUS$ 27.5 mn+3.5%3,964 tonnesUS$ 6.94 per kgwas US$ 6.49
Others-of-casing, tubing of iron/steel7304 29 90 · Iron or steel, seamless, casing and tubing, of a kind used in drilling for oil or gasUS$ 25.5 mn+143.5%18,737 tonnesUS$ 1.36 per kgwas US$ 2.80

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$ 66.1 bn
2023
India among exporters
#7
of 155 countries
India’s share of world exports
3.2%
US$ 2.11 bn
Left for others to win
US$ 63.4 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 13.4 bn 20.5%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 6.19 bn 9.5%
  3. 3ItalyUS$ 6.16 bn 9.4%
  4. 4JapanUS$ 3.73 bn 5.7%
  5. 5Rep. of KoreaUS$ 3.02 bn 4.6%
  6. 6USAUS$ 2.59 bn 3.9%
  7. 7IndiaUS$ 2.11 bn 3.2%
  8. 8TürkiyeUS$ 2.07 bn 3.2%
  9. 9CanadaUS$ 1.84 bn 2.8%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 1.78 bn 2.7%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 11.2 bn 16.9%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 3.5 bn 5.3%
  3. 3CanadaUS$ 2.8 bn 4.2%
  4. 4United Arab EmiratesUS$ 2.53 bn 3.8%
  5. 5Saudi ArabiaUS$ 1.77 bn 2.7%
  6. 6IndonesiaUS$ 1.75 bn 2.7%
  7. 7FranceUS$ 1.74 bn 2.6%
  8. 8United KingdomUS$ 1.59 bn 2.4%
  9. 9MexicoUS$ 1.55 bn 2.3%
  10. 10ItalyUS$ 1.46 bn 2.2%

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$ 8.06 bnIndia 2.9% · gap US$ 7.82 bn
GermanyUS$ 2.97 bnIndia 2.1% · gap US$ 2.91 bn
Saudi ArabiaUS$ 2.8 bnIndia 12.1% · gap US$ 2.46 bn
United Arab EmiratesUS$ 2.53 bnIndia 8.9% · gap US$ 2.3 bn
CanadaUS$ 2.33 bnIndia 4.2% · gap US$ 2.23 bn
FranceUS$ 1.6 bnIndia 2.9% · gap US$ 1.55 bn
United KingdomUS$ 1.59 bnIndia 2.3% · gap US$ 1.55 bn
ItalyUS$ 1.61 bnIndia 3.8% · gap US$ 1.54 bn
ChinaUS$ 1.48 bnIndia 2% · gap US$ 1.45 bn
IndonesiaUS$ 1.4 bnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 1.39 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 steel pipes and tubes

India is a major producer of steel pipes and tubes, from large-diameter line pipe for oil, gas and water pipelines to seamless and ERW pipes. China dominates world trade, with Japan, Korea, Germany and Italy strong in high-end seamless pipe. In 2025-26 the USA, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Canada and Saudi Arabia were among the largest buyers (Commerce Department data), with Gulf pipeline projects taking most large-diameter pipe. US Section 232 duties on steel, anti-dumping duties in several markets and the EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism all affect pricing, so check them before quoting. Openings are in API line pipe for Gulf and African projects, stainless tubes, and hollow sections for construction.

  1. 01Register with EEPC India

    Prime iron and steel products are under EEPC (DGFT Appendix 2T).

  2. 02Check trade defence and tariffs

    Look up anti-dumping duties on Indian pipes in your target market, US Section 232 and EU CBAM before pricing.

  3. 03Get licences and approvals

    API licence and end-user approvals for oil and gas projects.

  4. 04Bid on projects or supply stockists

    Large pipe sells through tenders; standard sizes sell to stockists.

  5. 05Make, test and inspect

    Hydro-test and NDT every pipe; third-party inspection for projects.

  6. 06Ship and claim benefits

    File the shipping bill on ICEGATE with the correct 8-digit HS code, declare RoDTEP and drawback, and keep the mill or test certificates with the export file.

  7. 07Get paid safely

    Use an LC or documents against payment with new buyers, take ECGC cover for open-account sales, and close the export with an e-BRC once the money arrives.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting steel pipes and tubes

Which HS code is my pipe?
Seamless is 7304; welded with outside diameter above 406.4 mm is 7305; other welded pipes and hollow sections are 7306.
What incentives apply?
RoDTEP of 0.9% or 1% depending on the line and drawback of 1.5% of FOB.
Do US steel tariffs apply?
Steel pipes are covered by US Section 232 duties, on top of other duties on Indian goods. Rates have changed several times — check CBP and the USITC tariff before quoting.
What is the difference between 3.1 and 3.2 certificates?
A 3.1 is issued by the mill's own inspection department; a 3.2 is also verified by the buyer's or a third-party inspector.
What causes rejections?
Wall thickness or ovality outside tolerance, coating damage in handling, missing heat traceability and NDT records.
Sources (11)
  1. EEPC India (Engineering Export Promotion Council) — official site
  2. DGFT — Appendix 2T: Export Promotion Councils and the products under each
  3. American Petroleum Institute — API Monogram and licensing programme
  4. European Commission — Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
  5. US Customs and Border Protection — Section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminium and derivative products
  6. US International Trade Commission — Harmonized Tariff Schedule (current US duty rates)
  7. European Commission — Pressure Equipment Directive (2014/68/EU)
  8. DGFT Notification 15/2026-27 (30.04.2026) — changes to Appendix 4R/4RE tariff lines w.e.f. 01.05.2026 (copy circulated by PLEXCONCIL)
  9. 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
  10. Gazette of India — Notification 77/2023-Customs (N.T.) dated 20.10.2023: All Industry Rates of duty drawback
  11. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 7304, 7305 and 7306 by country, 2025-26

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