India probes dumping of five Chinese products

India has launched investigations into allegations of Chinese companies dumping various products, such as engineering and chemical goods, into the Indian market. The Commerce Ministry's Directorate General for Trade Remedies (DGTR) is leading these inquiries. The products under scrutiny include Persulphates, Clavulanic Acid, Counterbalance Forklifts, Internally Grooved Copper Tubes and Pipes, and Caprolactam. Domestic manufacturers have complained that these cheap Chinese imports are negatively impacting their businesses.

Upon receiving a substantiated written application from a domestic industry, the DGTR initiates an anti-dumping investigation if it is found that the dumping has caused material injury to the domestic players. If the investigation confirms dumping and material injury, the DGTR recommends imposing anti-dumping duties. Ultimately, the Finance Ministry is responsible for deciding whether to impose these duties.

Tensions between the US and China, coupled with China's industrial overcapacity, create a risk of cheap Chinese goods being dumped in India. Multiple anti-dumping probes have been initiated recently against Chinese imports.

In addition to the anti-dumping investigations, the DGTR has also begun a countervailing duty probe against insoluble sulphur imports from China. The chemical is used in the rubber industry. Furthermore, the directorate has recommended imposing countervailing duties on imports of jute products from Bangladesh and Nepal, and uncoated writing and printing paper from Indonesia.

The DGTR is also conducting sunset reviews and mid-term reviews of existing anti-dumping duties on various products, including ceramic tableware and kitchenware, toulene di-isocyanate, and sodium cyanide.