Learn / Export Scrap Metal: India to UAE
The UAE's steel industry is scaling up fast, and it needs scrap feedstock to do it. Here's what's actually involved in getting material from India into that market.
India and the UAE have had a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in force since May 2022, but scrap aluminium and copper were specifically carved out of India's tariff commitments under that deal, so don't assume CEPA rates apply to your shipment. What's pulling the material there regardless is industrial demand: Emirates Steel Arkan's Abu Dhabi plant alone runs at 5 million tonnes of electric arc furnace capacity, part of a broader shift of scrap volume toward the UAE and away from traditional buyers like Turkey.
The same Importer-Exporter Code (IEC) framework that governs India's scrap imports applies to exports; confirm your registration covers the specific material category.
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading, and certificate of origin are the baseline for any international scrap shipment leaving India.
Some scrap categories carry additional conditions or documentation requirements; confirm current rules for your specific material with a customs broker before booking a shipment.
UAE customs, administered by the Federal Customs Authority and the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation, requires the right commodity code declared at entry for each metal category.
Alongside the certificate of origin, UAE customs typically expects a shipper confirmation and a declaration of what the material actually contains.
From January 14, 2026, the UAE shifted VAT accounting on scrap metal transactions to the buyer under a reverse charge mechanism, worth confirming with your buyer how this affects the deal structure.
This guide covers general ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap. E-waste follows a separate, stricter set of Basel Convention rules. Dubai also introduced a temporary ban on certain scrap exports leaving the UAE in mid-2026, that restricts material going out, not coming in, but it's a sign the regulatory picture here moves quickly. Confirm current requirements before committing to a shipment.
CEPA status and the right customs code are only the paperwork side of this deal. ScrapTrade verifies UAE buyer accounts and holds payment in escrow until delivery is confirmed, covering the part a trade agreement can't. Check today's reference prices before you agree to a rate.
No, not for aluminium or copper scrap specifically. Those categories were excluded from India's tariff commitments when the CEPA was negotiated, so the agreement doesn't lower duties on the material itself even though it's in force for many other goods. Confirm the current tariff line for your specific material rather than assuming CEPA coverage.
No, that ban (June to October 2026) restricts scrap leaving the UAE, aimed at keeping feedstock available for local industry. It has no bearing on scrap being imported into the UAE from India.
Not necessarily. Many exporters trade with UAE-based buyers directly, though a free zone structure is worth understanding if you plan to trade regularly, it offers customs exemptions but restricts direct trading with the wider UAE market.
General ferrous and non-ferrous scrap doesn't carry the same transboundary notification requirements as hazardous waste or e-waste. Keep those categories on a separate compliance track regardless of destination.
Listing on ScrapTrade puts your material in front of verified UAE buyers directly, with escrow holding payment until delivery is confirmed, which matters more on an international deal than almost anywhere else.
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