In order to protect local manufacturers from cheap imports from the neighbouring country, India has imposed anti-dumping duty on five Chinese products, including some aluminium items and chemicals for five years.
What is anti-dumping?
Countries initiate anti-dumping investigations to determine whether the domestic industry has suffered from an increase in imports below costs. As a counter-measure, they impose tariffs under the multilateral WTO regime.
Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide equal opportunities to the domestic industry. Both India and China are members of the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO).
India has initiated maximum anti-dumping cases against dumped imports from China.
List of Products
As per separate notifications of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the duty has been imposed on certain flat-rolled products of aluminium; Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) component R-32; silicone sealant (used in the manufacture of solar photovoltaic modules and thermal power applications); sodium hydrosulfite (used in the dye industry); and hydrofluorocarbon mixtures (both have found use in the refrigeration industry).
Reason for dumping duties on such products
The duty has been imposed following the recommendations of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), the investigative arm of the Ministry of Commerce. In a separate investigation, the DGTR has concluded that these products have been exported to the Indian markets at below normal value, which has resulted in dumping.
DGTR has stated that the domestic industry has suffered material injury due to dumping.
“The anti-dumping duty levied under this notification (on silicone sealant) shall be levied for five years from the date of publication of this notification in the Official Gazette and shall be payable in Indian currency,” the CBIC said.
CBIC has also imposed a duty on a vehicle component – axle for trailers in CKD/SKD (complete and semi-knocked down) to protect domestic manufacturers from cheap Chinese imports.
Anti-dumping duty imposed on countries other than China
Similarly, it has also imposed duty for five years on imports of calcined gypsum powder from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iran.
