India Mulls Anti-Dumping Duty on Chemical's Import from China

The government of India is considering to impose anti-dumping duty of up to USD 236 per tonne on imports of a chemical, used in bricks, tiles and ceramics, to protect domestic industry from cheap Chinese shipments.

The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD)-- the nodal agency under the commerce ministry -- has concluded in its findings that 'Barium Carbonate' is exported by China to India below its normal value.

"...the Authority (DGAD) is of the view that imposition of definitive duty is required to offset the dumping and injury...," DGAD said.

The duty would range between USD 236 and USD 76 per tonne, it said.

Acting on complaints from the domestic industry, DGAD had initiated probe into the dumping of the chemical from China which increased to 25,513 tonne in 2008-09 from 13,539 tonne in the previous fiscal.

Unlike safeguard duties, which are levied in a uniform way, anti-dumping duties vary from product to product and country to country.

Countries initiate anti-dumping probe to check if their domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports. As a counter measure, they impose duties within the multilateral regime of the WTO .

Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level playing field to the domestic industry. It is not a measure to restrict imports or cause unjustified increase in cost of products.