India has secured access to a 2.8 million-tonne annual steel export quota to the European Union ahead of the implementation of the bilateral free trade agreement.
Reader brief
Through the Reader lens: Indian steel exporters are now able to access 2.8 million tonnes of annual duty-free quota for shipments to the European Union, following a new import regime that began on 1 July 2026. This access is separate from the upcoming India-EU Free Trade Agreement, which remains under approval. Despite this tariff relief, Indian steel remains subject to the EU's Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, requiring the Indian government to prioritize the establishment of domestic verification agencies. The government aims to double total exports to the EU within three to four years as the broader trade deal moves toward expected implementation in 2027.
What to watch next
- Approval of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement by the European Parliament by March 2027
- Progress in the accreditation of Indian agencies for CBAM verification
- Expansion of CBAM to additional product categories
Sources2
- [1]Hindustan TimesneutralIndia secures EU steel quota, seafood and shipbreaking concessions ahead of FTA
- [2]MintneutralIndia’s steel exporters get wider EU access even before FTA kicks in