Indian companies are bracing for a possible flood of steel imports should the US and China follow through on their threats about a trade war.
Duties imposed by the US would trigger "trade diversion" from other steel makers, who would then dump their products in India, said Bhaskar Chatterjee, secretary-general of the Indian Steel Association.
As much as 80 million tonnes of steel – or 17 per cent of global exports, based on World Steel Association data – could be diverted to markets such as India, according to Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director of the country's top mill, JSW Steel Ltd.
The comments highlight the uncertainties surrounding global trade ahead of July 6, when President Donald Trump's tariffs on $US34 billion ($46 billion) of Chinese goods are scheduled to kick in, a move that China has vowed to retaliate against. India stands out as an attractive destination because it is the world's fastest-growing major economy.