Indian imports of aluminium scrap rose by 4.11pc to 1,349,510 in Jan -Dec 2019, from 1,296,218mt in the prior-year period. Alloy makers in India increased their exports of ADC alloys to China, fuelling the demand for aluminium scrap. These exports helped offset weak demand for aluminium in the domestic automobile industry before Covid-19 outbreak in Jan 2020.
India imported 317,332mt, the largest volume of aluminium scrap from the US in the period, followed by 152,207mt from UK and 124,473mt from the UAE.
In Jan-Dec 2018, 217,810mt, the largest volume of aluminium scrap came from the US, followed by 160,641mt from the UK and 133,465mt from Saudi Arabia.
In December 2019, India imported 105,489mt of scrap, of which 288,884mt from the US; 12,829mt from the UK and 10,363 from Saudi Arabia.
India’s automobile sector faced a slump in the year 2019 which impacted the demand for aluminium. With the launch of BS-VI standards in Apr 2020, demand for aluminium scrap in the auto sector is likely to increase.
India’s aluminium scrap imports in Sep-Dec 2019 were down from the prior-year period.
In September Indian scrap imports were 106,261mt, down from 112,839mt in Sept 2018; October imports amounted to 108,896mt in, down from 118,577mt in Oct 2018 and November imports stood at 102,458mt, down from 115,566mt in Nov 2018.
Indian scrap imports are likely to pick up as China resumes operations and export of ADC12 alloys, according to market participants.
Exports
As China reduced scrap imports post July 2019, it created an opportunity for Indian manufacturers to supply aluminium alloys to China.
In the Jan- Dec 2019 period, India’s exports of aluminium ingot alloys were up by 709.44pc to 64,707mt from 7,994mt in the prior-year period.
India exported 12,347mt the largest volume of aluminium alloys to China; 20,160mt to Korea and 9,322mt to Mexico in 2019. In 2018, India exported 3,312mt of aluminium alloys to Japan; exports to the US amounted to 1,494mt and 1,413mt was exported to Korea.