India Imposes Duties On Solar Glass From Malaysia

• DGTR imposes 9.71% countervailing duty on solar glass imported into the country from Malaysia
• It is valid for textured tempered glass whether coated or uncoated from Malaysia with a thickness not exceeding 4mm
• It will be effective after the issuance of final customs notification by the Ministry of Finance in due course, said Gujarat Borosil

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in India has slapped 9.71% countervailing duty on imported solar glass from Malaysia. It has imposed this duty on imports of textured tempered glass whether coated or uncoated from Malaysia with a thickness not exceeding 4mm. This glass is used as a component in solar PV panels and solar thermal applications.

There is 10.14% countervailing duty for such glass from any other country other than Malaysia.

The DGTR believes fair competition in the Indian market will not be reduced by the imposition of the countervailing measures, and that these measures would remove the unfair advantages gained by subsidization and create level playing field. This, it claims in its final report post investigation, is necessary to offset subsidization and injury.

It had initiated the investigation basis an application by Gujarat Borosil Limited (company amalgamated with the company Borosil Renewables Limited). The company in a stock exchange announcement said the DGTR imposed the countervailing duty for a period of 5 years. It will be effective after the issuance of final customs notification by the Ministry of Finance in due course.

During the course of the investigation, DGTR sent questionnaires to 2 known producers in Malaysia, namely Xinyi Solar Sdn Bhd and GAR Lightglass Sdn Bhd, and received response from Xinyi Solar. Among Indian manufacturers, it received responses from Waaree Energies, Patanjali Renewable Energy, Isolation Energy and Goldi Solar. Legal submissions from the Government of Malaysia as well as All India Solar Industries Association (AISIA) were also received.

Back in January 2019, DGTR recommended imposing $114.58 per metric tons (MT) of anti-dumping duty for 5 years on textured tempered glass imported from Malaysia (see Anti-Dumping Duty For Malaysian Solar Glass).

Previously, India imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese tempered glass used in solar panels in August 2017 responding to a petition filed by Gujarat Borosil Limited (see India Anti-Dumping Duty On Chinese Solar Glass). The same year the country slapped anti-dumping duty of $55.59 per ton on clear float glass imported from Iran into India (see India Anti-Dumping Duty On Iran Glass).