The Indian Ministry of Commerce & Industry has initiated an investigation into an anti-dumping petition with regard to imports of solar cells and panels in India. In June 2017, Indian solar PV manufacturers had filed the petition hoping for an interim duty on imports from China (see Indian Anti-Dumping Petition Against China).
The Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) under the Department of Commerce has now issued a notification that says it has started investigating the matter concerning imports of c-Si/crystalline technology from the region of Greater China and Malaysia.
DGAD has specified that the 15 months period of investigation is from April 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017. It does mention that it will take into account data of the previous three years, i.e. April 2013 to March 2014, April 2014 to March 2015 and April 2015 to March 2016 for the purpose of analyzing injury.
By filing this petition on behalf of Indosolar Limited, Websol Energy Systems Limited, Jupiter Solar Power Limited and Jupiter International Limited, the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has practically covered all imports that make up more than 85% of total cells and module sales in India, as per local consultancy Bridge to India.
ISMA has also filed a separate parallel petition to the Directorate General of Safeguards to consider imposing safeguard duties on solar cells and modules. Bridge to India defines this safeguard duty as a temporary measure in defence of the domestic industry.
With rapidly falling solar module prices and cost of solar power in India, the government could be sympathetic towards domestic manufacturers' demands. Bridge to India believes that the 'government may be tempted into knee-jerk decision to protect domestic manufacturers at the cost of causing disruption in the solar market'.
DGAD is expected to take 12 to 18 months to complete the investigation. Nonetheless, it may impose a provisional duty by September 22, 2017, the day it completes 60 days of commencement of the investigation. This is the same date when the US International Trade Commission (US ITC) is supposed to decide on the solar trade complaint from Suniva (see Suniva Petition Could Spell Disaster For US Solar).