NEW DELHI: India resorted to trade protection measures- anti-dumping and safeguard duties- 26 times in the past about 16 months, Parliament was informed on Monday.
"During 2008-09 and 2009-10 (up to July 15, 2009) anti- dumping duty was imposed in 22 cases and safeguard duty was imposed in four cases," Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Jyotiraditya Scindia said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.
Anti-dumping and safeguard duties are imposed to protect the domestic industry from material injury caused by import of cheap products or by surge in imports.
"These provisions are aimed at offsetting the adverse effects of 'dumped imports', 'subsidised' imports or 'increased imports'," he said.
The Director General of Safeguard has conducted probe to assess the impact of imports of Chinese goods based on applications received from the aggrieved sectors- soda ash, aluminum flat rolled products and foils and crank shafts, he said.
In an another reply, the minister said India has decided to engage in a formal consultation process with European Commission on the issue of seizures of drug consignments by the European customs.
Source : The Economic Times