DGAD for anti-dumping duty on tyre-making equipment from China

NEW DELHI: In yet another case of anti- dumping duty, India is considering an extra levy of up to 15 per cent on the import of tyre-making equipment from China.

After reaching a conclusion that "the domestic industry has suffered material injury," the Directorate General of Anti-dumping and Allied Duties (DGAD) has recommended an ad valorem anti-dumping duty of 15 per cent on the import of tyre-curing presses, used to give shape and tread pattern to automotive tyres.

On an application from Larsen and Toubro Ltd, the DGAD had initiated an investigation into the dumping of the machine from China.

The DGAD found that imported tyre-curing presses comprise 7 per cent in 2007-08 volume-wise of the total in the domestic market from just 0.6 per cent in 2004-5, and 15 per cent weight-wise in 2007-08 from 2 per cent in 2004-05.

According to a recent World Trade Organization (WTO) report, India initiated the highest number of anti-dumping investigations, 42, followed by Brazil and China, between July and December, 2008.

The country has already imposed the duty on imports of fabric, yarn, nylon tyre cord and thionyl chloride from China.

With demand recession in major economies like the US and many Europe, countries like China are targeting big and growing markets like India.