India: Copper wires import rangebound in H1CY'25, imports from UAE surged

• UAE, China benefit from swift QCO compliance
  
  
• Imports from Malaysia amid slow BIS adoption
  
  

India's copper wire imports remained range-bound y-o-y in H1CY'25, inching down by just 2% to 78,560 tonnes (t). Despite the flat headline figure, the underlying trade dynamics shifted notably due to the enforcement of India's Quality Control Order (QCO) and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification norms.

While overall volumes held steady, supplier rankings and sourcing patterns underwent significant realignment, with countries such as the UAE and China gaining sharply on the back of regulatory agility and strategic positioning.

Notably, India experienced a supply disruption in copper cathode shipments over December 2024-February 2025 due to the enforcement of the new QCO. While the dip affected cathodes sharply, wire and other finished products maintained healthy growth, helped by advance stocking, staggered compliance timelines, and available exemptions.

Who were the suppliers?

Who were India's leading copper wire suppliers?

Swift QCO compliance boosts UAE's volumes: The UAE strengthened its dominance with a 38% y-o-y surge to 58,265 t, leveraging agility in meeting India's stringent Quality Control Order (QCO) and BIS certification requirements. This allowed it to maintain uninterrupted shipments when many other suppliers faced approval delays.

The UAE's strategic role as a transshipment and re-export hub also boosted its exports, as global traders routed more copper products through the UAEs free zones to overcome origin-based regulatory hurdles and logistic barriers.

Trade benefits from the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) also contributed to the steep uptick y-o-y.

China emerges as 2nd-largest exporter: China climbed up to the second spot with a 39% y-o-y rise to 7,310 t, driven by aggressive regulatory compliance and a pivot to higher-value finished goods exports.

Notably, China was the sixth-leading exporter of copper wires in 2024 at 5,260 t, but in H1CY25, its shipments surged, making it the second-largest exporter, with 7,300 t.

In contrast, Malaysia's shipments dropped 29% y-o-y to 7,600 t due to slower BIS adoption, which impacted its ability to compete effectively. Meanwhile, imports from other countries plunged 75% amid broad compliance and logistics challenges.

Outlook

India's copper wire imports are expected to stabilise in H2CY25, with UAE and China leading due to strong BIS compliance and logistical advantages. Malaysia may continue to lose share without regulatory alignment.