Customs duty on solar equipment may hit SEZ manufacturing units: Experts

Even as the decision to impose basic custom duty on solar equipment is likely to boost domestic manufacturing, the move can be counter productive for manufacturers who have set up facilities in SEZs unless they are treated at par with units in the domestic tariff areas, industry players say.

Power and New & Renewable Energy Minister R K Singh on Thursday said his ministry has proposed to impose basic custom duty (BCD) from August 1, this year on solar equipment, including cells, modules and inverters, in the range of 15-20 per cent in the first year, which would eventually increase up