India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended the imposition of an anti-dumping duty on imports of textured tempered glass from China and Vietnam. The recommended quantum of duty is equal to the lesser of dumping margin and injury margin so as to remove the injury to the domestic manufacturers.
Textured tempered glass is used in solar PV panels and solar thermal applications. The product under consideration here is “textured toughened (tempered) glass with a minimum of 90.5% transmission of thickness not exceeding 4.2 mm (including tolerance of 0.2 mm) and where at least one dimension exceeds 1500 mm, whether coated or uncoated.”
DGTR recommendations are based on the findings of its anti-dumping investigation initiated on the application of Borosil Renewables Ltd on behalf of the domestic solar glass manufacturing industry. In its application to the DGTR, Borosil Renewables alleged that dumped imports are undercutting the prices of the domestic industry.
Borosil Renewables accounted for almost 72% of India’s total production of the textured toughened (tempered) glass during the period of investigation from Ist January 2023 to 31st December 2023 (12 months). DGTR examined injury analysis over a period of 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23 and the period of investigation.
In its investigation, DGTR noted the solar glass imports from China and Vietnam (totaling 779,017 MT) constituted almost the entirety of the imports into India, with a share of 98% during the period of investigation. Imports from China grew from 29,324 MT in 2020-21 to 659,732 MT during the period of investigation.
The DGTR noted that the landed value of the imports was below the selling price of the domestic industry throughout the injury period. During the period of investigation, the landed value of the imports remained lower than the cost of sales of the domestic industry and its domestic selling prices. This prevented the domestic industry from keeping its price in tandem with the cost of sales.
The authority also observed the domestically produced textured toughened (tempered) glass and imported product from China and Vietnam are comparable in terms of characteristics such as physical characteristics, manufacturing process & technology, functions & uses, product specifications, pricing, distribution & marketing and tariff classification of the goods. The two are technically and commercially substitutable.
The DGTR said the imposition of anti-dumping duty would not affect the availability of the textured toughened (tempered) glass as the domestic industry has the capacity to cater to almost 84% of the entire Indian demand. [Apart from Borosil Renewables, there are four other domestic producers, namely, Gobind Glass & Industries Ltd, Triveni Renewables, Vishakha Glass, and Gold Plus Float Glass, which commenced solar glass production in the period of investigation.]
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