Electromagnetic welding uses environment-friendly, unconventional non-contacting magnetic pulse force forjoining of two metals. The present paper focuses on the welding of tubular mild steel to two different steel bars, ferrite-pearlite 1018 carbon steel and austenite 304 stainless steel using a 40 kJ electromagnetic instrument. A qualitative metallurgical bonding was obtained for a selected set of optimum process parameters. The bonded region did not show localized melting for a mild steel–carbon steel joint and was found to be homogeneous liquid state bonding for a mild steel–stainless steel joint within a restricted distance of 3 μm from the interface. Both the joints indicated good peel strength and leak tightness. Simulation studies were validated using experimental parameters such as voltage, current, impact velocity, magnetic flux and displacement.