Learn / Export Scrap Metal: US to India
This is one of the world's most active scrap trade corridors: the US has scrap to sell, and India's fast-growing steel industry needs it. Here's what's actually involved on both ends.
India has been rapidly adding electric arc furnace steelmaking capacity, and EAFs run on scrap. That's turned India into a large, growing importer rather than an exporter. The US is one of the largest scrap-exporting countries in the world. The regulatory environment reflects this too: India's import authority treats US-origin shipments as low-risk, exempting them from an inspection step that applies to less-established trade partners.
Clean, unprocessed scrap generally qualifies for broad exclusions under US rules. If there's any contamination risk, check EPA/RCRA export requirements before you ship.
Steel shipments are tracked through the Steel Import Monitoring and Analysis system on the receiving side; check current requirements with a customs broker for your specific material.
Commercial invoice, bill of lading, and certificate of origin are the baseline. A quality inspection certificate is often expected too.
Required from India's Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) before your buyer can legally import scrap metal.
India generally requires a Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate for metal scrap imports, but US-origin shipments are currently exempt when they arrive through a designated port, among them Chennai, Mumbai (JNPT), Mundra, and Kandla.
No hazardous, toxic, or radioactive material, and no arms, ammunition, or explosive residue. This is checked on arrival, so it needs to be right before the shipment leaves.
This guide covers general ferrous and non-ferrous metal scrap. Electronic waste (e-waste) follows a separate, stricter set of international rules under the Basel Convention and shouldn't be shipped under the same assumptions. Rules and tariff status also change; confirm current requirements before committing to a shipment rather than relying on any single guide, including this one.
The regulatory side is only half the problem. The other half is finding a verified buyer in India and trusting that payment will actually clear on a deal you can't oversee in person. ScrapTrade lists your material in front of verified international buyers and holds payment in escrow until delivery is confirmed, which matters more on a cross-border deal than almost anywhere else. Check today's reference prices before you agree to a rate.
India's electric arc furnace steelmaking capacity has been expanding quickly, which means it's a large and growing consumer of scrap rather than a net exporter. The US, by contrast, is one of the world's largest scrap exporters. The trade flow follows where the demand and the supply actually are.
It isn't strictly required for every shipment, but for a first export or a complex material mix, a broker familiar with metal scrap specifically will catch requirements that are easy to miss, particularly around documentation and current tariff status.
No, treat it as a separate category. Electronic scrap is governed by stricter Basel Convention requirements that require the importing country's written agreement before a shipment can even leave, on top of the general scrap rules covered here.
Tariff policy on metals has moved quickly in 2026, and the rules that apply to finished steel and aluminium products don't necessarily apply to raw scrap the same way. Confirm current tariff status for your specific material and HTS code before you commit to a shipment, this is one of the details worth double-checking close to your ship date, not assuming from an older guide.
Listing on ScrapTrade puts your material in front of verified Indian buyers directly, with escrow protecting payment on both sides of an international deal where you likely haven't worked with the counterparty before.
Reach verified buyers in India and beyond, with escrow protecting every deal.
Get Started Free