India imported 8.6 million mt of iron ore in the fiscal year 2018 ending March 31, 2018. According to custom data, JSW Steel imported 5.1 million mt (59 percent) of the iron ore followed by Jindal Saw with 0.51 million mt (6 percent), Essar Steel with 0.39 million mt (5 percent), Kamachi Group with 0.38 million mt (4 percent), and others without detailed public reports or too small that imported 2.21 million mt (26 percent) of iron ore.
Further analysis of the data shows that it imported 3.27 million mt (38 percent) from Australia, 2.78 million mt (32 percent) from South Africa, 2.19 million mt (25 percent) from Brazil, 0.31 million mt (4 percent) from Oman, and 0.05 million mt (1 percent) from other countries.
Sources report that Indian mills have been reportedly actively placing orders for South African iron ore through the past week in July, especially mills on the west of India.