The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has initiated a probe whether to continue with the imposition of safeguard duty on solar photovoltaic (PV) cells following an application made by domestic firms for the same. An application for review and extension of safeguard duty for four more years has been filed by Mundra Solar PV, Jupiter Solar Power, Jupiter International, through the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association (ISMA).
According to a notification of the DGTR, the local manufactures have sought continued imposition of the safeguard duty imposed on imports of 'solar cells whether or not assembled in modules or panels' into India to protect the domestic producers from increase in imports. On the basis of the prima facie evidence submitted by the domestic industry regarding evidence of serious injury and that the domestic industry is adjusting positively, the DGTR hereby, initiates a review investigation for examining the need for continued imposition of safeguard duty.
Earlier in July 2018, the government had imposed safeguard duty for a period of two years on imports from China and Malaysia, which will expire this year on July 29, 2020. As per the notification of the finance ministry, 25 percent safeguard duty was imposed from July 30, 2018 to July 29, 2019, which was reduced to 20 percent during July 30, 2019 to January 29, 2020 and 15 percent during January 30, 2020 to July 29, 2020.