Anti-dumping action hobbles India's exports

Even though India accounts for only one percent of global exports, its is
subject to 4% of the total anti-dumping actions initiated across the world.

According to the latest data available with the government, out
of the 2,938 anti-dumping actions initiated between January 1995 and June, 2006, India faced 124 investigations.

An anti-dumping investigation is initiated when the domestic industry
complains to the government about injury being caused to it because of
cheap imports. The government then initiates a probe, based on the facts
submitted by the domestic industry to the imported product. If it is found
that the imported product is causing injury to the domestic industry, the
government can initiate antidumping measures against it, which includes
imposing of extra duty.

At the recent trade policy review meeting on India at the World Trade
Organisation headquarters in Geneva, the country pointed out that of the
124 anti-dumping investigations against it, measures were introduced in 69
cases, which lead to considerable loss of trade.

According to Ajay Sahai, director general, Federation of Indian
Exporters, the range of anti-dumping duty on Indian exports range from 5% to 20%. "The European Union tops the list with around 11
anti-dumping cases against Indian exports, followed by the United States, South Africa and Canada," he added.

India has also been an active user of anti dumping measures and latest
figures point out towards more than 440 investigations, which were launched by the country. "We should not go by numbers as the impact of the anti dumping measures initiated against India is much higher than the ones initiated by India," said Neeraj Varshney, an anti-dumping expert.