ISMA Withdraws Anti-Dumping Petition

• The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has withdrawn the anti-dumping petition it filed last year against solar cells and modules imported from the region of Greater China, and Malaysia
• The industry body believes exports from the 3 countries increased by 33% to 45% between July and December 2017
• It plans to file a new petition soon seeking a revision to the investigation period
• The rationale is to update the period of investigation so that there is a fair redressal of the industry's grievances

The Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) has withdrawn the anti-dumping petition it filed against solar cells and modules imported from the region of Greater China and Malaysia. This development isn't good news for its opponents, however, as the industry body plans to file a new petition.

The original petition was filed last June with the Directorate General of Anti-Dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) for imports comprising c-Si/crystalline technology (see Anti-Dumping Investigation Begins In India). According to the petition, DGAD had zeroed in on a 15-month investigation period – from April 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017.

During July 2017 and December 2017, however, ISMA claims that exports from the region of Greater China and Malaysia increased by 33% to 45%. "This massive increase in volumes was enabled by a significant price reduction to dump more material in India," ISMA stated. "The prices in the same period fell by about 25%. This has resulted in an enhanced injury to the domestic industry, which would not have been fairly addressed by the outcome of an investigation covering the period up to June 2017," ISMA added in an official statement released to the media.

Hence, in order to "contemporarize the period of investigation" to get a "fair and just redressal," ISMA will be approaching DGAD to file an updated petition.  

Mercom India Research believes the period of investigation sought afresh by the industry body will be from April 2016 to December 2017, a total of 21 months. The research firm pointed out that the "anti-dumping case has to start all over again, which would mean extended timelines and decision date."

ISMA is also behind the request to impose safeguard duties on solar cells imported from China and Malaysia. The matter is in the hands of the courts now, with oral hearings completed and final written submissions due to be filed on March 9, 2018 (see Call For Safeguard Duty Runs Into Legal Tangle).

Recently, Bridge to India suggested that trade tariffs are not the right way to support the domestic PV manufacturing industry. The consultancy asked for policy reforms and other conducive measures to ensure solar grows competitively (see Indian PV Policy Reform Needed, Not Trade Duties).