DGTR ensures fair competition through a level playing field

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry, implements trade remedy measures to address dumped imports, subsidised imports and sudden surges in inbound shipments that cause injury to domestic industry. The trade watchdog restores fair competition and ensures a level playing field for Indian producers while allowing legitimate imports to continue at fair prices, without imposing import restrictions on domestic downstream industries, Amitabh Kumar, Additional Secretary and Director General of Trade Remedies (AS&DG), said during a media briefing on Wednesday.

Organised as part of the Ministry of Commerce’s media outreach initiative to highlight key institutional achievements, reforms and policy initiatives under the theme “Trade Remedy Measures: Creating a Level Playing Field for Indian Industry”, the briefing focused on DGTR’s initiatives aimed at accelerating India’s domestic manufacturing for local consumption and facilitating hurdle-free exports. India’s integrated trade remedy authority conducts anti-dumping, anti-subsidy and safeguard investigations, and recommends appropriate measures to the government in accordance with domestic laws and India’s obligations under the World Trade Organization (WTO) framework.

However, experts believe that DGTR’s clarification comes in the wake of a study jointly conducted by C-DEP Research and the Centre for WTO Studies under the same ministry, which found that the effective imposition of anti-dumping duty (ADD) on the current set of products being evaluated by the government could help save an estimated annual foreign exchange (forex) outflow of Rs 28,540 crore (US$ 3 billion). The study noted that domestic producers often alert the government about low-priced imports that eventually cause injury to local industries.



Thorough examination
Highlighting DGTR’s transparent and evidence-based investigation process, Kumar explained that investigations involve the examination of applications, initiation of proceedings, analysis of questionnaire responses, verification of information, oral hearings, disclosure of essential facts and issuance of final findings. During this process, all interested parties, including domestic producers, exporters, importers, user industries and other stakeholders, are provided adequate opportunities to participate and submit evidence over the course of the investigations.

DGTR adopts a balanced approach in trade remedy proceedings by considering the interests of user industries, downstream sectors and consumers through stakeholder consultations, economic interest assessments and examination of the likely impact of duties. The institution also follows the Lesser Duty Rule, under which duties are recommended only to the extent necessary to remove injury to the domestic industry.

Achievements
A key achievement highlighted during the briefing was the work of DGTR’s Trade Defence Wing, established in 2016 to assist Indian exporters facing anti-dumping, countervailing duty and safeguard investigations in foreign jurisdictions. The Wing serves as a nodal platform for coordination among administrative ministries, state governments, Indian missions abroad, Export Promotion Councils, Commodity Boards, exporters and legal counsels to safeguard India’s trade interests in overseas trade remedy proceedings.

The directorate has undertaken several reforms, including the System for Ensuring Fair Trade through Unified Digital Platform (SETU), launched on 24 October 2025, which has enabled end-to-end digital processing of trade remedy cases through online filing, structured submissions, digital communication and secure document management. The platform provides a single-window digital interface for domestic producers, exporters, importers and foreign governments.

Other initiatives highlighted during the briefing included the Economic Interest Questionnaire, the Helpdesk and Facilitation Centre, the Trade Remedies Advisory Cell (TRAC), outreach programmes and simplified application formats for fragmented industries. The AS&DG noted that the simplified application format introduced through Trade Notice No. 09/2021 dated 29 July 2021 has significantly reduced the procedural challenges faced by fragmented domestic producers and MSMEs in accessing trade remedy mechanisms.

The study
Released on May 26, the study titled “Impact of Anti-Dumping Duties in India” examined the effects of ADD on downstream costs, inflation, MSMEs, domestic capacity and investments. The study brought together industry representatives from sectors including chemicals, polymers, textiles and manufacturing, many of which have witnessed significant erosion in domestic production capacities due to dumping from China and other countries. These domestic manufacturers collectively represent a turnover exceeding Rs 2 trillion.

The study of 33 products revealed that the economic loss arising from dumped imports currently stands at approximately Rs 1.54 trillion and is projected to rise to between Rs 2.68 trillion and Rs 2.70 trillion by 2030. The number of jobs at risk is also expected to increase from around 24,000 currently to between 38,000 and 42,000 over the same period. The findings highlight the long-term impact of import-driven market distortions on India’s economy, industrial competitiveness and employment generation.

Conclusion
Kumar reiterated that trade remedy measures play an important role in addressing unfair trade practices, strengthening domestic manufacturing and supporting a rules-based international trading system. DGTR reaffirmed its commitment to transparent investigations, stakeholder participation, digital transformation and effective trade defence support for Indian industry and exporters.


DILIP KUMAR JHA
Editor
dilip.jha@polymerupdate.com