India Aluminum Wire Duty Review Targets Malaysian Imports
Indiaโsย Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR)ย has recommended new countervailing duties on specificย aluminum wire imports from Malaysiaย for a five-year period. This India Aluminum Wire Duty Review aims to protect domestic producers from the impact of subsidized products entering the Indian market.
DGTR Recommends Countervailing Duties
According to reports inย The Economic Times, DGTR concluded that definitive countervailing duties are necessary to offset government-backed subsidies benefiting Malaysian exporters. The authority proposed duty rates ofย 6.87%ย andย 16.5%, depending on the producer.
However, Indiaโsย finance ministryย must approve these recommendations before they take effect. DGTR launched the original probe afterย Vedanta Ltdย andย Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd (BALCO)ย filed complaints on behalf of domestic aluminum wire manufacturers.
Sunset Review of Steel Wire Rod Duties from China
At the same time, DGTR has opened anย anti-dumping (AD) duty sunset reviewย forย steel wire rod imports from China. This review will decide whether to continue measures first imposed inย 2016. The investigation period runs fromย October 1, 2019, to March 31, 2021.
Theย Indian Steel Associationย supports the case on behalf of key domestic producers, includingย Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited,ย Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), andย JSW Steel. DGTR stated that ending the duties would likely harm local wire rod manufacturers by exposing them to renewed dumping from Chinese suppliers.
Background on Earlier Anti-dumping Measures
India first imposed anti-dumping duties on certain steel products, includingย steel wire rods from China, inย 2016. At that time, authorities set duties equal to the difference between the landed value of the products and benchmark prices, such asย US$499 per metric tonย for goods fromย Minmetals Yingkou Medium Plate Co.ย andย US$538 per metric tonย for other producers.
These trade remedies aim to prevent unfair pricing practices and maintain a level playing field for domestic steel and aluminum manufacturers in India.
