DGAD hears parties on solar cells' anti-dumping duty petition

The Directorate General of Anti- Dumping And Allied Duties today heard the views of all the affected parties in the matter of the anti-dumping duty petition on solar cells and modules.

Representatives from the petitioner Indian Solar Manufacturers Association were present in the oral hearing, apart from representatives from the embassies of China, Taiwan and Malaysia.

The issue relates to import of "Solar cells whether or not assembled in modules or Panels" originating in, or exported from, China, Chinese Taipei, and Malaysia. The DGAD had initiated an investigation, with the petitioner ISMA claiming that the cheap imports were hurting the domestic industry.
 

"We are positive in our approach that we have been able to evidence relevant aspects of the case to endorse our strongly held belief of predatory pricing and urgent remedial action is required in order to save investments, employment, improve Energy Security & derail the skewed import dependence," H R Gupta, General Secretary of Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) said after the meeting.

The representatives of the embassies of the China, Taiwan, Malaysia and other stakeholders also got the opportunity to make their case and the case was registered orally in front of the designated judicial representative, Gupta said.

"We are satisfied with the outcome and optimistic that the case has moved very significantly ahead," he added.

The affected parties will present their submissions in written by Dec 19, 2017 and thereafter the petitioners (ISMA) will give a response to these submissions by January 2, 2018.

"On finding prima facie that evidence of dumping of the subject goods originating in or exported from the subject countries (China, Malaysia and Taiwan), injury to the domestic industry and a causal link between the said dumping and injury exists to justify an initiation of anti-dumping investigation," the DGAD had said earlier in notification.

An anti-dumping duty may be described as a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports that it believes are priced below the fair market value. Dumping is a process where a company exports a product at a price lower than the price it normally charges in its home market.