According to Indian customs data via the Ministry of Steel, India has imported 15.66 million mt of iron ore in the full-year 2018, up 184 percent compared to 5.50 million mt in full-year 2017.
The largest shipper was JSW Steel with 11.41 million mt (73 percent), followed by Essar Steel with 0.52 million mt (3 percent), Jindal SAW with 0.51 million mt (3 percent), Varsana Ispat with 0.47 million mt (3 percent), Kamachi Group with 0.38 million mt (2 percent), and other countries with 2.37 million mt (15 percent).
Port-wise, 6.96 million mt (44 percent) entered India via Krishnapatnam port, 5.01 million mt (32 percent) via Jaigarh port, 1.68 million mt (11 percent) via Kandla port, and 2.01 million mt (13 percent) via other ports.
In regards country of origin, India imported 9.20 million mt (59 percent) from Australia, 3.36 million mt (21 percent) from South Africa, 2.67 million mt (17 percent) from Brazil, 0.21 million mt (1 percent) from Iran, 0.17 million mt (1 percent) from Canada, and 0.06 million mt (0.4 percent) from Malaysia.
| India, iron ore | y-on-y | |
| Imports, calendar year | million mt | change |
| 2014 | 9.44 | -- |
| 2015 | 9.37 | -1 percent |
| 2016 | 6.3 | -33 percent |
| 2017 | 5.5 | -13 percent |
| 2018 | 15.66 | +184 percent |