- India imposes five-year anti-dumping duties on four key Chinese chemical imports.
- Targeted products span industries like agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and tyre manufacturing.
- Aims to protect local manufacturers amid a ballooning India-China trade deficit.
In a strategic trade move, India has introduced anti-dumping duties on four imported chemicals from China, aiming to safeguard its domestic industries from market distortions caused by artificially low-priced imports.
This decision comes after a thorough investigation by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), which found significant injury to Indian producers due to price undercutting.
India Clamps Down on Cheap Chinese Chemicals to Shield Domestic Markets
The chemical PEDA, primarily used in herbicides, now carries an anti-dumping duty between ₹1,305.6 and ₹2,017.9 per tonne. This aims to boost local chemical manufacturing, especially in agrochemical segments which have long struggled with fluctuating global prices and heavy import dependency.
Acetonitrile, a solvent critical in pharmaceutical production, faces duties of up to ₹481 per tonne. These imports are not only from China but also from Russia and Taiwan, reflecting a broader concern about global price manipulation affecting Indian pharma intermediaries.
For Vitamin A Palmitate, which is key in the production of nutritional supplements and food fortification, the imposed duty of up to ₹20.87/kg will help Indian firms compete with highly subsidized European and Chinese suppliers. Similarly, Insoluble Sulphur, a vulcanization agent in tyres, now has a duty of up to ₹358 per tonne to support domestic rubber processing industries.
This move is part of India’s broader policy push to revive self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. With imports from China rising and exports dipping by over 14%, the government’s goal is not just to stem the trade imbalance but to ensure sustainability and resilience in sectors vulnerable to price shocks.
India’s latest trade measures reflect a strategic effort to protect core industries, ensuring domestic manufacturers can thrive without being undermined by unfair international pricing practices.
“A nation that does not protect its industries, sooner or later, sees them vanish.” – Alexander Hamilton
