India has initiated an anti-dumping probe in the imports of certain flat-rolled products of aluminium originating in or exported from China based on a complaint by Hindalco Industris, alleging injury to the domestic industry due to the dumped goods. The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) will probe the dumping from FY17 to December 2019.

DGTR has communicated that: “The applicant has also claimed that imports are causing a threat of material injury, considering the significant increase in imports as compared to the base year, significant surplus capacities in the subject country, the high export orientation of producers in the subject country and the ability to scale up production in a short span.”

It added: “All these factors go on to show that imports are causing a threat of material injury to the domestic industry.”

As per the notification, the proclaimed dumping has steered to price suppression and depression in the domestic industry.

In its findings, DGTR said: “Imports are undercutting the prices of the domestic industry in the market and the performance of the domestic industry is likely to deteriorate in the event of cessation of anti-dumping duty as China is holding significant capacities and the imports which are dumped and injurious despite the existence of the anti-dumping measure, are likely to increase.”

The earlier anti-dumping duty was imposed on 17^th August 2015 for five years on imports of the product from China and Switzerland, and the same is in force. DGTR recommends the duty but the finance ministry takes a call to impose it.