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Engineering goods

Export stainless steel utensils

Cookware, tableware and kitchen tools in stainless steel; the USA, UAE, Saudi Arabia and UK buy the most.

Free to exportHS 7323
HS code
7323
Table, kitchen and other household articles of iron or steel; stainless steel utensils are sub-heading 7323.93.
Export policy
Free to export
Free to export under ITC(HS) Schedule 2 as checked in November 2026. No licence is needed for household utensils. 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$ 528 mn
to 151 countries

What is exported

India exports stainless steel cookware, tiffins, thalis, bowls, pressure cookers and hotel ware, mostly from Jagadhri, Mumbai–Thane, Delhi NCR and Ahmedabad. Buyers are retail chains, kitchenware brands and hotel suppliers. In 2025-26 India exported about US$ 528 million under HS 7323; the USA led, followed by the UAE, Saudi Arabia, the UK and the Netherlands.

Varieties, grades and forms

  • CookwareSaucepans, kadhais, tri-ply and sandwich-bottom pots, pressure cookers.
  • Tableware and servewareThalis, bowls, tumblers, buffet and hotel ware.
  • Lunch boxes and storageTiffins, canisters, bottles and flasks.
  • Kitchen tools and sinksLadles, strainers, graters; sinks are a separate line (7324).

Where it is grown or made

  • HaryanaJagadhri (Yamunanagar) — utensil cluster
  • MaharashtraMumbai–Thane and Bhiwandi
  • Delhi NCRDelhi, Faridabad and Ghaziabad
  • GujaratAhmedabad and Rajkot

Export packing

  • Each piece in a poly bag or printed gift box, then 5-ply export cartons; inner dividers stop scratches.
  • Anti-tarnish paper or film and silica gel against moisture in sea transit.
  • Barcode, steel grade, country of origin and care instructions on each retail box.

Who buys abroad

  • Kitchenware importers and retail chains
  • Indian and South Asian grocery chains abroad
  • Hotel and catering suppliers
  • Online marketplace sellers

The quality buyers ask for

Steel grade
AISI 304 (18/8) for food-contact premium ranges; 201 or 430 for budget lines — always state the grade
Gauge / thickness
Sheet thickness in mm as agreed (for example 0.6–1.0 mm), checked by micrometer
Finish
Mirror, satin or matt; no pits, scratches or weld marks on visible surfaces
Base
Induction-compatible (magnetic) base where the buyer asks for it; sandwich or tri-ply construction
Food-contact migration
Metal release within the limits the buyer applies (EU CoE guidance on metals and alloys is widely used)

Certificates

  • EU food-contact declaration of complianceRequiredRequired for kitchenware sold in the EU under Regulation (EC) 1935/2004.
  • Mill test certificateOften askedShows the steel grade and chemistry; buyers ask for it with each lot.
  • ISO 9001Often askedBasic quality system expected by retail buyers.
  • Social compliance audit (for example BSCI or SMETA)Often askedMany European and US retailers require it before listing a supplier.

Shipping, storage and shelf life

Container load

Cartons on pallets or floor-loaded; a 40-ft container typically takes about 1,200–2,000 cartons depending on nesting. Utensils fill space before weight.

How it travels

Sea freight; LCL for first orders.

Storage

Dry warehouse; silica gel and anti-tarnish wrapping against sea humidity.

What goes on the pack and carton

  • Steel grade, product name, size or capacity, country of origin and care instructions.
  • EU: the "glass and fork" food-contact symbol (or "for food contact") and the name and address of the EU business responsible.
  • Barcode (EAN/UPC) on each retail box.
Where to get it tested

Use an NABL-accredited lab for food-contact migration and metal-release tests (search 'food contact' or 'metals' in the NABL directory). Grade can be checked by any NABL metallurgical lab with spectro analysis.

Benefits of exporting this product

Where to register

  • EEPC IndiaPrime iron and steel products are listed under EEPC in Appendix 2T; take your RCMC from EEPC.eepcindia.org ↗

Quality and checks

  • Food-contact safety: EU Regulation (EC) 1935/2004 and a declaration of compliance; US FDA food-contact rules. Buyers often ask for metal-release (nickel, chromium) tests.
  • Steel grade proof (for example 304 / 18-8 or 201) with mill test certificates; magnet and spectro checks by the buyer.
  • Pre-shipment inspection for finish, weight and gauge, often by a third-party agency named by the buyer.
How to start small

Start with a small range (tiffins, bowls, thalis) for Indian grocery chains abroad or a Gulf distributor. Buy from a Jagadhri or Mumbai maker with mill certificates, get a food-contact test from an NABL lab, and ship a mixed LCL lot on advance payment.

Where new exporters go wrong

  • Selling 201-grade steel as 304 — buyers test with spectrometers and reject or claim.
  • No food-contact declaration for EU buyers; customs or retailers hold the goods.
  • Scratches and rust spots from poor packing and damp containers.

Documents this product needs

Schemes that apply

Sources (5)
  1. Department of Commerce, Export Import Data Bank — India's exports of HS 7323 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 — Food contact materials
  5. EEPC India — official site

Trade data

Indian stainless steel utensils exports in numbers

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

Exports in 2025-26
US$ 528 mn
+0.2% a year on average, 2020-21 to 2025-26
Change from 2024-25
↓ -3.3%
US$ 546 mn → US$ 528 mn
Buyer countries
151
Average export price
US$ 2.29
per kg · 2,30,917 tonnes shipped · US$ 2.16 the year before
United States of America: US$ 148 mnUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 43.5 mnSaudi Arabia: US$ 38 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 26.7 mnNetherlands: US$ 18.4 mnGermany: US$ 15.5 mnAustralia: US$ 14.3 mnFrance: US$ 14 mnCanada: US$ 12.5 mnNepal: US$ 11.8 mnNigeria: US$ 10.9 mnSpain: US$ 9.4 mnPoland: US$ 8.1 mnMexico: US$ 6.7 mnBrazil: US$ 6.6 mnKuwait: US$ 6.5 mnGhana: US$ 6.4 mnItaly: US$ 6.1 mnSenegal: US$ 5.8 mnKenya: US$ 4.9 mnQatar: US$ 4.9 mnSri Lanka: US$ 4.5 mnMalaysia: US$ 3.8 mnSweden: US$ 3.8 mnRussia: US$ 3.2 mnUnited States of America: US$ 148 mnUnited States of AmericaUnited Arab Emirates: US$ 43.5 mnUnited Arab EmiratesSaudi Arabia: US$ 38 mnUnited Kingdom: US$ 26.7 mnUnited KingdomNetherlands: US$ 18.4 mnGermany: US$ 15.5 mnAustralia: US$ 14.3 mnAustraliaFrance: US$ 14 mnCanada: US$ 12.5 mnNepal: US$ 11.8 mnNepalNigeria: US$ 10.9 mnNigeriaSpain: US$ 9.4 mnPoland: US$ 8.1 mnMexico: US$ 6.7 mnBrazil: US$ 6.6 mnKuwait: US$ 6.5 mnGhana: US$ 6.4 mnItaly: US$ 6.1 mnSenegal: US$ 5.8 mnKenya: US$ 4.9 mnQatar: US$ 4.9 mnSri Lanka: US$ 4.5 mnMalaysia: US$ 3.8 mnSweden: US$ 3.8 mnRussia: US$ 3.2 mnIndia
Where Indian stainless steel utensils goes — among our 80 countries, 2025-26
2020-21: US$ 523 mn5232020-212021-22: US$ 673 mn6732021-222022-23: US$ 568 mn5682022-232023-24: US$ 534 mn5342023-242024-25: US$ 546 mn5462024-252025-26: US$ 528 mn5282025-26
India’s stainless steel utensils exports, year by year · US$ million

The price cycle

India’s average export price per kg each year (total value ÷ total quantity). Highest in 2021-22, lowest in 2020-21 — a 144% swing between them. Keep this swing in mind when you quote.

2020-21: US$ 1.99 per kg1.992021-22: US$ 4.86 per kg4.862022-23: US$ 2.12 per kg2024-25: US$ 2.16 per kg2025-26: US$ 2.29 per kg2.292020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
Average export price of Indian stainless steel utensils · 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$ 523 mn2020-212021-22: US$ 673 mn2021-222022-23: US$ 568 mn2022-232023-24: US$ 534 mn2023-242024-25: US$ 546 mn2024-252025-26: US$ 528 mn2025-262026-27: US$ 525 mn (US$ 459 mn – US$ 601 mn)5252026-272027-28: US$ 516 mn (US$ 443 mn – US$ 600 mn)5162027-28
India’s stainless steel utensils exports and projection · hollow bars = projection, line = likely range
By 2027-28: US$ 516 mn

Likely range US$ 443 mn to US$ 600 mn.

Trend
-1.8% a year
Fit (R²)
0.13 — 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
1United States of AmericaUS$ 148 mn-11.2%
2United Arab EmiratesUS$ 43.5 mn-6%
3Saudi ArabiaUS$ 38 mn+9.1%
4United KingdomUS$ 26.7 mn+1.4%
5NetherlandsUS$ 18.4 mn-12.7%
6GermanyUS$ 15.5 mn-4.9%
7AustraliaUS$ 14.3 mn+7.2%
8FranceUS$ 14 mn+1.2%
9CanadaUS$ 12.5 mn-0.5%
10NepalUS$ 11.8 mn+15.8%
11NigeriaUS$ 10.9 mn+2.3%
12SpainUS$ 9.4 mn+11.4%

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. GhanaUS$ 4.6 mn → US$ 6.4 mn+38.4%
  2. PolandUS$ 6.8 mn → US$ 8.1 mn+20%
  3. NepalUS$ 10.2 mn → US$ 11.8 mn+15.8%
  4. KuwaitUS$ 5.6 mn → US$ 6.5 mn+15.2%
  5. SpainUS$ 8.4 mn → US$ 9.4 mn+11.4%

Low demand

  1. SenegalUS$ 8.9 mn → US$ 5.8 mn-34.1%
  2. MexicoUS$ 9.1 mn → US$ 6.7 mn-25.9%
  3. KenyaUS$ 6 mn → US$ 4.9 mn-18.5%
  4. ItalyUS$ 7.1 mn → US$ 6.1 mn-14.3%
  5. NetherlandsUS$ 21.1 mn → US$ 18.4 mn-12.7%
  6. United States of AmericaUS$ 166 mn → US$ 148 mn-11.2%

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
Other houshold articl of stainless stl not elsewhere specified7323 93 90 · Steel, stainless, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereofUS$ 409 mn-1.8%148 mn piecesUS$ 2.76 per piecewas US$ 2.55
Other household utensils and its parts n.e.s7323 99 90 · Iron or steel, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, of iron or steel in heading…US$ 33.2 mn+5.1%24.9 mn piecesUS$ 1.33 per piecewas US$ 1.36
Other household articles of iron n.e.s. (other than cast iron)or steel,enamelled7323 94 90 · Iron or steel, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, enamelledUS$ 28 mn-15.7%7.5 mn piecesUS$ 3.75 per piecewas US$ 2.85
Iron or steel, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, enamelled — utensils7323 94 20US$ 21.4 mn-13.4%9.6 mn piecesUS$ 2.23 per piecewas US$ 2.00
Other utensils of cast iron not enameld7323 91 90 · Cast iron, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, of cast iron, not enamelledUS$ 14.4 mn-22%5.4 mn piecesUS$ 2.69 per piecewas US$ 3.35
Irn/stl wool;pot scourers and scouring or polishing pads,gloves and the like7323 10 00 · Iron or steel, wool, pot scourers and scouring or polishing pads, gloves and the likeUS$ 7.6 mn-2.6%32.9 mn piecesUS$ 0.23 per piecewas US$ 0.24
Steel, stainless, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof — pressure cookers7323 93 10US$ 7 mn+7.5%842k piecesUS$ 8.33 per piecewas US$ 6.16
Iron or steel, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, of iron or steel in heading… — other utensils7323 99 20US$ 4.4 mn-4.6%969k piecesUS$ 4.52 per piecewas US$ 1.82
Cast iron pans,not enameld7323 91 10 · Cast iron, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, of cast iron, not enamelledUS$ 1.4 mn+52.7%312k piecesUS$ 4.55 per piecewas US$ 3.76
Other houshold articles of cast irn,enameld7323 92 00 · Cast iron, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, of cast iron, enamelledUS$ 700k-4.1%94k piecesUS$ 7.48 per piecewas US$ 6.94
Iron or steel, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, enamelled — ghamellas7323 94 10US$ 600k+71.4%368k piecesUS$ 1.63 per piecewas US$ 1.95
Utensils of galvanised iron7323 99 10 · Iron or steel, table, kitchen and other household articles and parts thereof, of iron or steel in heading…US$ 560k-49.5%188k piecesUS$ 2.98 per piecewas US$ 3.42

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$ 12.2 bn
2023
India among exporters
#3
of 156 countries
India’s share of world exports
3.3%
US$ 531 mn
Left for others to win
US$ 15.4 bn
exported by other countries

Top exporters — your competitors

  1. 1ChinaUS$ 10.8 bn 67.6%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 736 mn 4.6%
  3. 3IndiaUS$ 531 mn 3.3%
  4. 4ItalyUS$ 370 mn 2.3%
  5. 5FranceUS$ 351 mn 2.2%
  6. 6TürkiyeUS$ 335 mn 2.1%
  7. 7USAUS$ 278 mn 1.7%
  8. 8NetherlandsUS$ 259 mn 1.6%
  9. 9PolandUS$ 237 mn 1.5%
  10. 10SpainUS$ 203 mn 1.3%

Biggest buyers in the world

  1. 1USAUS$ 3.53 bn 28.9%
  2. 2GermanyUS$ 1.08 bn 8.9%
  3. 3FranceUS$ 478 mn 3.9%
  4. 4JapanUS$ 459 mn 3.8%
  5. 5United KingdomUS$ 431 mn 3.5%
  6. 6Rep. of KoreaUS$ 405 mn 3.3%
  7. 7NetherlandsUS$ 362 mn 3%
  8. 8CanadaUS$ 328 mn 2.7%
  9. 9SpainUS$ 306 mn 2.5%
  10. 10PolandUS$ 288 mn 2.4%

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$ 4.29 bnIndia 5.7% · gap US$ 4.04 bn
GermanyUS$ 1.28 bnIndia 2.4% · gap US$ 1.25 bn
FranceUS$ 515 mnIndia 4% · gap US$ 495 mn
JapanUS$ 459 mnIndia 0.6% · gap US$ 457 mn
South KoreaUS$ 454 mnIndia 0.5% · gap US$ 452 mn
United KingdomUS$ 431 mnIndia 6% · gap US$ 405 mn
NetherlandsUS$ 391 mnIndia 3.2% · gap US$ 378 mn
CanadaUS$ 391 mnIndia 4.6% · gap US$ 373 mn
SpainUS$ 293 mnIndia 3.4% · gap US$ 283 mn
ItalyUS$ 265 mnIndia 3% · gap US$ 257 mn

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 stainless steel utensils

India is a long-standing exporter of stainless steel kitchenware, strong in traditional Indian shapes and in hotel and catering ware. China is the largest competitor on price and volume, with Vietnam, Thailand and Turkey also active. Demand comes from diaspora grocery chains, Western retailers moving away from single-country sourcing, and hotel and catering suppliers in the Gulf. Openings are in tri-ply cookware, insulated bottles and lunch boxes, and private-label ranges for supermarkets.

  1. 01Choose range and market

    Pick 20–40 items that fit the buyer type (diaspora grocery, retail, hotel).

  2. 02Find a maker

    Visit Jagadhri or Mumbai units; check grade with a magnet and spectro report.

  3. 03Test

    Get a food-contact migration test from an NABL lab for EU or US buyers.

  4. 04Sample and price

    Send samples; quote FOB with steel price validity of a few days.

  5. 05Inspect and pack

    Pre-shipment inspection for finish and weight; pack with dividers and silica gel.

  6. 06Ship and claim

    File the shipping bill with the right 8-digit code; claim RoDTEP and drawback.

  7. 07Payment

    Advance or LC for new buyers; open account only after repeat orders.

Meet buyers

Trade fairs

Questions

Questions about exporting stainless steel utensils

Is 201 steel allowed for export?
Yes, if you declare it honestly. Many budget buyers accept 201, but selling it as 304 leads to claims.
Do I need BIS certification to export?
Indian quality control orders apply to goods sold in India. For export, follow the buyer country's rules; confirm any export exemption on the BIS site.
Which council do I join?
EEPC India, which covers iron and steel products.
How do I prevent rust spots in transit?
Dry the goods fully, use anti-tarnish paper and silica gel, and avoid loading in rain.
What RoDTEP rate applies?
Stainless steel kitchenware under 7323 93 carries 0.9% of FOB in Appendix 4R; confirm your line on DGFT.
Sources (5)
  1. EEPC India — official site
  2. European Commission — Food contact materials
  3. NABL — search for accredited testing laboratories
  4. Bureau of Indian Standards — official site
  5. 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

Who buys Indian stainless steel utensils

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