India Imposes Five-Year Anti-Dumping Duty on Vietnamese Hot-Rolled Steel to Protect Domestic Industry

India Imposes Five-Year Anti-Dumping Duty on Vietnamese Steel

India has imposed a five-year anti-dumping duty on hot-rolled flat steel products imported from Vietnam , reinforcing its trade-defence framework and safeguarding domestic producers from price distortions. The move follows a detailed investigation by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), which found that Vietnamese steel was being exported to India at unfairly low prices, causing material injury to Indian manufacturers.

Duty Targets Underpriced Hot-Rolled Flat Steel

A final levy of USD 121.55 per tonne has been imposed on imports of hot-rolled flat steel (alloy and non-alloy) up to 25 mm thickness and 2,100 mm width . Stainless, coated, plated and clad variants remain excluded from the order. Most Vietnamese exporters will face the full duty; however, Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel JSC has been exempted after its dumping margin was found to be negligible.

Addressing Indirect Chinese Steel Inflows

Industry observers emphasise that Vietnamese steel imports have often served as a trans-shipment route for Chinese-origin steel , which is frequently underpriced and subject to trade scrutiny. India imported 9.5 million tonnes of steel in FY25, including 2.4 million tonnes from China . Early FY26 figures show a marked decline in finished steel imports, indicating that stricter trade measures are already influencing market behaviour.

Part of India’s Broader Trade-Protection Strategy

The new duty strengthens India’s safeguard ecosystem, which includes ongoing investigations into unfair pricing, existing tariffs and policies promoting domestic capacity. Officials maintain that this decision is aligned with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat mission aimed at supporting critical manufacturing sectors such as steel, which is central to infrastructure expansion and industrial growth.

Exam Oriented Facts

• Anti-dumping duty: USD 121.55/tonne on Vietnamese hot-rolled flat steel.

• Coverage: Alloy and non-alloy HR steel up to 25 mm thickness & 2,100 mm width .

• Exempted exporter: Hoa Phat Dung Quat Steel JSC .

• India’s FY25 steel imports: 9.5 million tonnes ; China’s share 2.4 million tonnes .