India slaps anti-dumping duty on water treatment chemical from China, Japan

New Delhi, Mar 10, 2025

The decision follows recommendations from the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), the commerce ministry's investigation arm

India has imposed an anti-dumping duty of up to $986 per tonne on 'Trichloro isocyanuric acid,' a chemical used for water treatment, imported from China and Japan, reported news agency PTI. The duty will be in place for five years to protect the domestic industry from cheap inbound shipments, according to a notification by the Ministry of Finance.

"The anti-dumping duty imposed...shall be levied for a period of five years (unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier)," the notification stated.

The decision follows recommendations from the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), the commerce ministry’s investigation arm. The DGTR found that domestic manufacturers have suffered "material injury" due to the dumping of this chemical from China and Japan.

What is an anti-dumping duty?

Anti-dumping measures like this are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field for local industries. They do not aim to restrict imports or raise product costs unfairly. The DGTR investigates such cases and makes recommendations, while the finance ministry takes the final decision, usually within three months.

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) allows countries to impose anti-dumping duties as a legal trade measure, but only if proper investigations prove that dumping is taking place. The duties typically last for a few years and can be reviewed or extended if necessary.

Both China and Japan are key trading partners of India. Under WTO rules, countries can impose anti-dumping duties if domestic industries are harmed by below-cost imports.

This move is expected to safeguard Indian manufacturers from unfair pricing practices and ensure a stable market for the chemical.

[With inputs from PTI]

[The Business Standard]