India’s trade regulator has proposed a 12pct safeguard duty on flat steel products for 200 days to curb rising imports, according to a government notice.
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the federal trade ministry, stated that the provisional duty is necessary to prevent serious injury to the domestic steel industry. Stakeholders have 30 days to submit comments before an oral hearing and final decision.
The government launched an investigation in December following a petition from the Indian Steel Association, which represents major producers such as ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India (AMNS), JSW Steel, Bhushan Power & Steel, Jindal Steel and Power, and the Steel Authority of India. The petition cited a sharp rise in imports, which the industry claims has caused significant harm.
The probe focuses on hot-rolled (HR) coils, sheets, and plates; cold-rolled (CR) coils and sheets; and coated or prepainted steel products. However, certain categories, including CRGO/CRNO, EG, tinplate, and stainless steel, are excluded. The affected products fall under HS codes 7208, 7209, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7225, and 7226.
The investigation period covers October 1, 2023, to December 30, 2024, while the injury assessment spans from April 1, 2021, to September 30, 2024.
The move comes as India’s finished steel imports from China, South Korea, and Japan hit a record high in the first 10 months of the financial year.