Government initiates anti-dumping probe into LNG fuel tanks imports

India has initiated a probe into alleged dumping of LNG fuel tanks from China following a complaint by a domestic player, according to a commerce ministry notification. The commerce ministry’s investigation arm, Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), is probing the dumping of liquified natural gas (LNG) fuel tanks as imports are allegedly hurting the margins of the domestic industry. Inox India Ltd has filed an application seeking the imposition of anti-dumping duty, stating that the cheap imports are causing material injury to the domestic industry. The tanks are used to contain and carry methane gas in large vehicles such as trucks.

 “On the basis of the duly substantiated written application submitted by the domestic industry and having reached satisfaction based on the prima facie evidence submitted by domestic industry about dumping of subject goods…the Authority, hereby, initiates an anti-dumping investigation,” the DGTR has said in a notification.

If it is established that the dumping has caused material injury to domestic players, the DGTR would recommend the imposition of anti-dumping duty on these imports. The finance ministry takes the final decision to impose duties. Anti-dumping probes are conducted by countries to determine whether domestic industries have been hurt because of a surge in cheap imports.

As a countermeasure, they impose these duties under the multilateral regime of the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO). The duty is aimed at ensuring fair trading practices and creating a level-playing field for domestic producer’s vis-a-vis foreign producers and exporters. India has already imposed anti-dumping duty on several products to tackle cheap imports from various countries, including China. Imports of these tanks stood at $ 93.6 million in 2023-24. It was $ 42.7 million during April-October this fiscal and it was $ 84.7 million in 2022-23.