US import duty on machinery is not a single rate. It combines the ordinary duty for the product's tariff line with any additional measures in force, and Section 232 on steel and aluminium is one of the measures that most affects machinery and steel parts. These layers changed several times during 2025 and 2026, so we do not state rates here.
Check the position at the time you sign the contract, and again before shipment, because a measure can change while goods are at sea.
The layers of duty
Think of the US duty on an imported machine as stacked layers.
- The ordinary duty under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule for the product's line, which for many machines in Chapter 84 is low or zero.
- Any additional country-level duty that applies to goods from India at the date of entry.
- Section 232 duties, if the product or its parts fall within a covered steel, aluminium or derivative list.
- Section 301 or anti-dumping duties, for products that are specifically covered.
- Customs processing fees.
What Section 232 does
Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 lets the US impose duties on imports it finds threaten national security. Duties on steel and aluminium, and on derivative products made from them, have been extended in stages. In 2026 the covered lists and rates were revised in April and again by a proclamation in June, which, according to law firm summaries, set separate treatment for some agricultural and industrial equipment and for mobile industrial machinery.
Because the lists work by tariff line and by metal content, two similar machines can be treated differently. Read the current proclamation and its annexes, or ask a US customs broker. Sources in October 2026 differed on some details, which is a reason to verify.
Why it matters for steel parts and castings
Parts and components made of steel, such as castings, forgings and fasteners, can fall in the derivative lists, and may be charged on the steel content value. The duty may apply to the metal portion of an assembled product. How it is calculated depends on the proclamation, so ask the broker to model it for your part.
Drawings and bills of materials help. Keep a record of the material, weight and country where the metal was melted and poured, because some measures ask for it.
How to check the current position
Use official sources: the Harmonized Tariff Schedule on the US International Trade Commission website, notices from US Customs and Border Protection, and the White House and USTR announcements. A licensed customs broker can confirm which lines are covered and calculate duty on your exact product.
Do not fix a landed cost on a rate you read months ago. Compare the position for Indian goods with other origins only after your broker has checked each. See import duties on Indian machinery and tariffs on Indian auto parts in the US and EU.
Next step
Ask suppliers to state the material, weight and HS code for every part, and keep those on the invoice. We find and audit manufacturers and check documents against the goods. Book a free sourcing review to plan a US order around the current rules.