Legal

India is calling for a special meeting of the World Trade Organization’s (WTO’s) Dispute Settlement Body (DSB), to be held on February 9, to consider its request to resolve the disagreement between India and the U.S.

The 9th monthly get-together and stakeholder’s meeting of the International Solar Alliance was held on January 24. The event witnessed several announcements from companies such as TATA ($2.25 million Incubation hub), NTPC (new developments), Power Grid Corporation of India (new battery storage projects), Infosys (smart PV solutions), and Emami.

India has proposed to impose safeguard duty at the rate of 70% for a period of 200 days on imported cells and modules coming from China PR and Malaysia.

India hit back on Monday at Washington’s latest legal assault on its solar power policies at the World Trade Organization, rejecting a US legal claim and exploring possible new protection of India’s own solar industry.

Gyanesh Chaudhary, General Secretary of All India Solar Industries Association, speaks to pv magazine ahead of an ongoing tax hearing regarding imported solar cells and modules. On behalf of AISIA, he recommended solutions that should be considered for the benefit of local manufacturers.

According to reports, India is planning to impose a 7.5% tax on imported solar PV modules.

Reuters reports that the United States is once again planning to take India back to a WTO ruling regarding an ongoing solar power dispute. Last year India lost the case against the U.S., which had alleged discriminatory practices in favor of domestic firms and against foreign competitors.

The threat of India’s government imposing anti-dumping duties (ADD) against solar cells and modules from China, Taiwan and Malaysia is very real, and runs counter to its own ambitions of hitting 100 GW of solar by 2022. Or does it? Could duties help to boost India’s solar industry in other ways? And does the ongoing political uncertainty create opportunity or trepidation for industry?

The anti-dumping hearing was scheduled to be held on November 30. It has, however, been postponed to December 12, 2017. The India Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA) still expects a result in its favor.

Indian renewable analyst firm notes that anti-dumping comes at inopportune time with the industry already reeling from a slowdown in new project procurement, extra costs due to GST, import duties and increased module prices. It is expected to come by October 2018 and may affect all stakeholders and projects in the pipeline as well as those awaiting auction.