‘Unfairly low prices’: India slaps anti-dumping duty on China & Japan for two substances; says harming local producers

India has slapped anti-dumping duties on insoluble sulphur imported from China and Japan. Additionally, the country has levied anti-dumping duty on vitamin-A palmitate imports originating from China, the European Union and Switzerland.Tyre producers utilise insoluble sulphur as a key component to enhance rubber vulcanisation processes, whilst vitamin-A palmitate finds applications in enriched food products and pharmaceutical manufacturing.This action was taken after the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) suggested measures to protect domestic manufacturers from unfair import pricing.The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs announced in two separate notifications issued late Friday that these duties take effect immediately and shall continue for five years, according to an ET report.Based on the investigation conducted in March, the DGTR discovered that these substances were being sold to India at artificially reduced prices, constituting dumping practices that adversely affected domestic manufacturers.The imposed duties have been set at $0.87 to $20.87 per kg for vitamin A palmitate, and between $259 and $358 per metric tonne for insoluble sulphur.Anti-dumping duty serves as a protective tax levied on imported goods sold at prices lower than their normal market value. This measure aims to shield domestic manufacturers from unfair competition. The duty specifically targets foreign producers who attempt to gain market advantage by selling products at artificially reduced prices in overseas markets.Also Read | Extreme poverty in India sees sharp decline! Number dips from 344.47 million to 75.24 million; poverty rate down to 5.3%, says World BankThe move comes at a time when major economies around the world are aiming to protect their trade and economic interests. US President Donald Trump has unleashed a trade war since assuming office, and global agencies like the International Monetary Fund have warned of major economic consequences of America’s reciprocal tariff moves.However, the wide consensus is that the Indian economy is relatively insulated from US trade shocks, and with a India-US trade deal expected to be finalised in the coming months, any impact of higher tariffs is likely to be transitory.