India Imposes Five Year Anti Dumping Duty on Cold Rolled Steel Imports from China

India has imposed an anti dumping duty on imports of cold rolled steel products from China for a period of five years, aiming to safeguard the domestic steel industry from unfairly priced imports. The decision follows an investigation by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies which concluded that dumped imports from China had caused material injury to Indian producers.

According to the official notification, the duty on various cold rolled steel products imported from China will range between 223.8 dollars per tonne and 414.9 dollars per tonne. Specifically, an anti dumping duty of 223.82 dollars per tonne has been imposed on Cold Rolled Non Oriented Electrical Steel, commonly referred to as CRNO. These products are widely used in the manufacture of electrical equipment such as motors, generators and small transformers, making them critical inputs for India’s power and manufacturing sectors.

The DGTR clarified that Cold Rolled Full Hard Silicon Electrical Steel, or CRFH, which serves as a raw material for producing CRNO, has been excluded from the scope of the duty. This exclusion is expected to ensure that downstream manufacturers continue to have access to essential inputs without supply disruptions, while still offering protection to domestic CRNO producers.

The investigation was initiated after Indian steel manufacturers filed a complaint alleging that Chinese exporters were selling cold rolled steel products in the Indian market at prices below fair value. The DGTR’s probe found a clear link between the surge in dumped imports and the financial stress faced by domestic producers, including pressure on prices, profitability and capacity utilisation.

Based on these findings, the DGTR recommended the imposition of anti dumping duties, which has now been accepted and implemented by the government. Industry participants have welcomed the move, stating that it will help restore fair competition and encourage investments in domestic steel capacity.

The latest decision comes close on the heels of India imposing anti dumping duties on certain steel imports from Vietnam last month. Industry observers believe that action was intended to prevent the rerouting of Chinese steel through third countries, highlighting the government’s tighter scrutiny of steel imports to protect domestic manufacturing.