India was the target of 261 Anti-dumping investigations, 96 anti-subsidy investigations and 362 Safeguard investigations in the period 1995-2021. Since a Safeguard case applies against all the countries equally on MFN basis, it may be understood that all these cases also target India however, not all products could be of economic relevance to India.

 

India is one of the countries which are initiated investigations and imposed trade measures the most in the world. Details of investigations initiated and measures imposed against India are as below:

 

Table 1: Trade remedy investigations against India (1995-2021)

	Anti-dumping investigation	Anti-subsidy Investigation	Safeguard investigation	Total
Initiated  investigations	261	96	362	719
Imposed measures	162	60	184	406

Source: WTO data

 

According to WTO statistics, base metals and articles is the group subject to the most trade remedy measures with a total of 143 impositions (including 58 anti-dumping measures, 34 anti-subsidy measures and 51 safeguard measures). Other India’s exports such as chemical products; plastics, rubber; textiles; machinery and electrical equipment are also frequently investigated and imposed trade remedy measures (Details can be found in the table below).

 

Table 2: Top India’s export products subject to the most trade remedy measures (1995-2021)

Items/Products	Anti-dumping measures	Anti-Subsidy measures	Safeguard Measures	Total
Base metals and articles	58	34	51	143
Products of the chemical and allied industries	34	9	20	63
Resins, plastics and articles; rubber and articles	28	9	6	43
Textiles and articles	20	4	17	41
Machinery and electrical equipment	7	2	12	21
Articles of stone, plaster; ceramic prod.; glass	5	0	15	20
Others	10	2	63	75
Total	162	60	184	406

Source: WTO data

 

To strengthen the efforts for defending the cases initiated against exports from India, the Department established a CVD Cell on 01.04.2016 in erstwhile DGAD with an aim to defend CVD investigations initiated by WTO member countries against exports from India. This was necessitated in view of trade protectionism being adopted by many economies as well as raising concerns over the increasing use of trade remedial measures by other member countries. The Cell has now been restructured into Trade Defence Wing (TDW). TDW is the nodal point for defending Indian exports against the trade remedy investigations initiated by other countries.

 

Source: Center for WTO and International Trade