According to provisional customs data, India exported approximately 10.52 million mt of iron ore in full-year 2018, down 47 percent from 19.91 million mt in full-year 2017.
India exported 8.56 million mt (81 percent) to China, 1.45 million mt (14 percent) to Japan, 0.15 million mt (1 percent) to South Korea, 0.09 million mt (1 percent) to Philippines, 0.06 million mt (1 percent) to Indonesia, and 0.21 million mt (2 percent) to other destinations.
Vedanta was the largest exporter with 2.42 million mt (23 percent), followed by 2.31 million (22 percent) by Rungta Mines, 1.40 million mt (13 percent) by MMTC, 1.12 million mt (11 percent) from VM Salgaonkar, 1.10 million mt (10 percent) from Fomento Resources, and 2.16 million mt (21 percent) from a variety of smaller iron ore exporters.
Iron ore exports by Vedanta were reportedly halved in the 2018 period as a result of the mining ban in the Goa region.