The Directorate General of Trade Remedies, the investigation arm under India’s federal trade ministry, has initiated an anti-dumping inquiry into imports of hot rolled flat steel originating from China, Japan and Russia, according to a government notification issued on Thursday.
The probe was launched following a formal request from three Indian steelmakers: JSW Steel, JSW Vijaynagar Metallics Limited and Jindal Steel Odisha. The petitioners asserted that shipments from the three exporting countries were entering the Indian market at dumped prices and that such imports had caused injury to the domestic industry and could continue to do so.
The investigation specifically covers hot rolled flat products, whether alloy or non-alloy steel, with thicknesses up to 25 millimeters. The notification does not expand beyond the product scope or the import origins listed.
Separately, provisional trade data cited in the notification shows a pronounced increase in China’s finished-steel exports to India. In April, China exported approximately 232,000 metric tons of finished steel to India, more than double prior comparative levels and marking the highest monthly volume in at least two years, according to the provisional figures referenced by officials. That surge made China the top exporter of finished steel to India for the month.
The government-run Directorate General of Trade Remedies will now examine whether dumped imports have caused or threaten to cause material injury to the domestic hot rolled steel sector. The notification indicates the formal start of the investigative process, which will consider the claims made by the three petitioning companies and the trade data cited.
Beyond the specific measures and timetable of the investigation, the notification provides limited additional detail. The scope of affected products and the named exporting countries are explicit, while broader trade dynamics and potential policy responses will depend on the findings of the inquiry.
Context and next steps
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies will carry out the procedural steps required for an anti-dumping investigation, including data collection and evaluation of injury claims. The outcome will determine whether anti-dumping duties or other remedial measures are recommended, but the notification itself does not predict any specific outcome.