Trump's reciprocal tariff: " We have identified some countries for more intense watch. We have also picked out commodities for a more intense watch because we are already aware of certain trends," said Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal
The Commerce Ministry has taken several measures to ensure that India is safeguarded from potential dumping from several countries in response to the reciprocal tariff imposed by Trump’s administration. While some measures have already been implemented, the ministry is working closely with several other departments across Ministries to ensure stringent measures against anti-dumping, confirmed the Ministry on Tuesday.
“We are looking at import surges. We have identified some countries for more intense watch. We have also picked out commodities for a more intense watch because we are already aware of certain trends. Depending upon the way the world is moving in terms of tariffs, counter-tariffs, exemptions and other things- we're monitoring imports through an inter-ministerial cell, with representation from the Departments of Commerce, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Customs and Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade,” Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal told reporters during the trade data briefing.
With a tariff of 145% being imposed on China, Indian exporters fear that there will be dumping from Chinese manufacturers to the Indian market. Additionally, even for other neighbouring countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, which are also major exporters to the USA, the reciprocal tariff announced is considerably higher than India. This enhances the chances of dumping from these countries to India.
The Commerce Ministry noted that rising US costs may drive exporters from countries China, Vietnam, and Indonesia to redirect goods to India, raising dumping risks. Retaliatory Chinese tariffs on US goods could also spur greater inflows of US agricultural exports.
The Ministry of Commerce has launched a ‘Global Tariff and Trade Helpdesk’ to assist stakeholders in navigating shifting trade dynamics, amid rising tariff and counter-tariff measures that may present both export opportunities and import-related challenges. An import surge monitoring group also has been set up involving DOC, DGFT, CBIC and other relevant ministries and departments.
The Ministry will track import trends on a weekly and monthly basis, assessing any significant surges from specific countries or commodities. Actions will be taken based on a comparative analysis of recent patterns against historical data to address potential concerns.
“If there are any unusual surges, we would like to understand what the reasons for the surge are and then once we arrive at a specification and then there is frequent action to be taken,” said Satya Srinivas, Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce.