India’s base metals exports rose 29.07% year on year to $17.07 billion during April-August 2026, while imports increased 10.77% to $23.29 billion, according to provisional data released by the Department of Commerce on October 15. Copper and aluminium exports recorded strong growth, with aluminium shipments increasing in both value and volume terms.
Copper exports more than double
India’s exports of copper and copper products more than doubled year on year to $2.07 billion during April-August 2026, from $1.02 billion in the corresponding period last year. In August alone, copper exports surged 164.05% to $598.96 million from $226.83 million a year earlier.
Copper imports rose 28.22% to $6.75 billion during April-August, compared with $5.27 billion in the same period last year. August imports increased 32.08% year on year to $1.36 billion from $1.03 billion.
The increase in export value coincided with stronger international base metals prices, which may have supported export realisations. However, the available data do not establish how much of the growth resulted from higher prices rather than increased shipment volumes, as corresponding copper export quantity figures were not available in the data reviewed.
Aluminium exports gain in value and volume
India’s aluminium and aluminium product exports increased 48.51% year on year to $3.82 billion during April-August 2026, from $2.57 billion a year earlier. August exports rose 35.22% to $735.42 million from $543.87 million.
Export volumes also increased. Aluminium product shipments climbed 15.47% year on year to 919,649 tonnes during April-August, compared with 796,443 tonnes in the corresponding period last year. In August, exports rose 6.79% to 178,079 tonnes from 166,751 tonnes a year earlier.
The simultaneous increase in export value and volume indicates that higher shipments contributed to export growth. Average export value per tonne may also have increased, although this would need to be calculated separately and could reflect changes in product mix as well as prices.
Aluminium imports rose 25.34% in value to $5.10 billion during April-August, from $4.07 billion a year earlier. Import volumes increased 2% to 1.47 million tonnes from 1.44 million tonnes over the same period.
In August, however, aluminium import volumes declined 5% year on year to 326,817 tonnes from 344,781 tonnes, even as import value increased 18.88% to $1.14 billion from $958.43 million. The divergence suggests higher average import values or changes in product mix.
Iron and steel exports increase
Exports of iron and steel rose 35.98% year on year to $5.49 billion during April-August 2026, from $4.04 billion in the corresponding period last year. Imports declined 8.58% to $6.34 billion from $6.94 billion.
Exports of zinc and zinc products increased 44.23% to $371.93 million, while nickel and nickel product exports rose 25.66% to $89 million. Lead and lead product exports declined 24.26% to $334.83 million.
On the import side, nickel product imports rose 12.19% to $597.12 million, while tin and tin product imports increased 58.43% to $329.63 million during April-August.
Mineral imports rise on bulk ores and coal
India’s ores and minerals imports increased 23.10% year on year to $21.69 billion during April-August 2026, from $17.62 billion in the corresponding period last year. Exports of ores and minerals rose 20.36% to $2.44 billion from $2.03 billion.
Imports of bulk minerals and ores climbed 61.63% to $5.66 billion from $3.50 billion. Imports of coal, coke and briquettes rose 15.67% to $14.08 billion from $12.17 billion.
Iron ore imports declined 28.06% to $366.05 million, while processed mineral imports fell 17.25% to $776.81 million.
On the export side, iron ore exports increased 44.56% to $827.13 million. Exports of bulk minerals and ores rose 23.18% to $268.61 million, while processed mineral exports increased 8.28% to $1.02 billion. Exports of coal, coke and briquettes rose 41.87% to $112.57 million.
Prices and shipment volumes shape export performance
The data point to stronger export performance across copper, aluminium and iron and steel during April-August 2026. Higher international metal prices may have supported export values, while aluminium quantity data confirm that shipments also increased over the five-month period.
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