India is unlikely to take any anti-dumping measure against Bangladeshi clear float glass (CFG) as the Indian investigations found the dumping allegations were not based on fact, official sources here said.
Although the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) of India had recently recommended taking protection measures like imposing anti-dumping duty (ADD) against the product, the Indian finance ministry did not respond to it.
If any recommendation on taking anti-dumping measures is not implemented within three months from the date of its issuance, it is not supposed to be applicable, said the officials.
The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi has recently raised the issue at a meeting, and it communicated with the Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh that India would not impose the ADD as its finance ministry did not issue any circular in this regard despite the DGTR recommendation.
Industry insiders were hopeful about hearing a positive message from the Indian side on the issue.
"We are waiting for a positive message from Delhi soon," additional secretary of commerce and director general of WTO Cell of the MoC Md Hafizur Rahman told the FE on Tuesday.
Earlier, Dhaka requested India not to impose any ADD on the CFG after raising counter-arguments with the Indian authorities concerned, a high official said.
He, however, said that the CFG export to the Indian market has not been affected due to the dumping allegations, followed by investigations in this regard.
The DGTR in June 2021 informed the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi that the Indian industries accused three Bangladeshi exporters of dumping CFG in the Indian market. The companies are: PHP Float Glass Industries, Nasir Float Glass Industries Limited and Usmania Glass Sheet Factory Limited.
Following the allegation, the Indian authorities launched an anti-dumping investigation.
The DGTR had also asked the Bangladeshi exporters to provide necessary information and explanation in this regard within 30 days from the date of receipt of the letter.
Glass shipments to India have been rising in recent years. Bangladesh exported glass sheets worth over $0.7 million to India in the fiscal year (FY) 2019-20.
The volume of exports of such products has increased remarkably in FY 2020-21. The exports to the market grew by 357 per cent to US$3.39 million in 11 months of the last fiscal year than that of the previous fiscal year.
Currently, India's ADD is applicable on three Bangladeshi products-jute goods, hydrogen peroxide and fishing net.
India slapped anti-dumping duty on Bangladesh's jute yarn, hessian and bags back in January 2017 ranging from $19 and $352 a tonne.
A similar duty was imposed on the exports of hydrogen peroxide to India in the range between $27.81 and $91.47 per tonne in April 2017.
The DGTR has recently recommended its finance ministry to extend the ADD on jute products of Bangladesh for another five years.
