India has taken a significant step in its ongoing safeguard investigation concerning the imports of “Non-Alloy and Alloy Steel Flat Products.” On December 31, 2024, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies announced an extension for the submission of key documents, such as the Economic Quota Report (EQR), Import Quota Report, and other related reports. The deadline to submit these documents is now set for January 22, 2025, following requests from some interested parties.
In November 2024, the Indian government has officially launched a safeguard investigation into the imports of “Non-Alloy and Alloy Steel Flat Products” in response to a substantial rise in foreign steel shipments, which domestic producers claim has caused significant harm to their industries. This investigation, requested by the Indian Steel Association on behalf of major steel companies, aims to assess the impact of these imports on the country's steel industry and determine whether protective measures, such as the imposition of safeguard duties, are necessary.
The request for a safeguard duty was filed under Section 8B of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, and the Customs Tariff (Identification and Assessment of Safeguard Duty) Rules, 1997. The ISA has alleged that the rapid and sharp increase in imports of non-alloy and alloy steel flat products has caused serious injury to Indian steel producers. According to the ISA, the surge in imports has disrupted the domestic steel market, leading to significant harm to the local production sector.
The ISA represents several key players in the Indian steel industry, including ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Limited, JSW Steel Limited, and Steel Authority of India Limited. These companies contend that the influx of imported steel products undercuts local manufacturers, leading to loss of market share, lower prices, and a decline in production capacity. They claim that the volume of imports, particularly in the form of hot-rolled coils, sheets, cold-rolled coils, and coated products, is undermining their ability to compete effectively.
The investigation focuses on “Non-Alloy and Alloy Steel Flat Products,” which include:
• Hot Rolled coils, sheets, and plates
• HR Plate Mill Plates
• Cold Rolled coils and sheets
• Metallic Coated Steel coils and sheets, including Galvanneal, coated with Zinc or Zinc-Aluminium-Magnesium
• Colour Coated coils and sheets
However, the scope of the investigation excludes specific steel products, such as:
• Cold Rolled Grain Oriented Electrical Steel
• Cold Rolled Non-Oriented Electrical Steel coils and sheets
• Electro Galvanized steel
• Tinplate
• Stainless steel
