India launches anti-dumping probe against Chinese PV imports

India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry on Friday initiated an anti-dumping investigation against solar cell imports from China, Taiwan and Malaysia.

The probe covers all photovoltaic (PV) cells, both assembled partially or fully into modules or panels, including crystalline silicon and thin-film technologies. The government will accept information related to the investigation within 40 days of publishing the notification.

The investigation is the result of a petition filed in May by the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) on behalf of Indian sector companies Indosolar (BOM:533257), Websol Energy System Ltd (BOM:517498), Jupiter Solar Power Ltd and Jupiter International Ltd. The plaintiffs claimed that solar imports from China were hurting the local industry and demanded for the imposition of anti-dumping duties. Previous attempt to introduce anti-dumping duties on PV cell and module imports to India have failed.

Under the World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, a member may take a safeguard action to protect the domestic industry from a jump in imports. According to consultancy Bridge to India, about USD 3.2 billion (EUR 2.7bn) worth of PV cells were imported in India in fiscal 2016/17, or 36% more than in the year-ago period. Of the total 88% came from China and 7% from Malaysia, which in turn led to a 29% drop in module prices in annual terms.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.857)

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