Anti-Dumping Duty in India: What Importers and Exporters Must Know
Anti-dumping duty is an extra customs duty on goods that a foreign producer sells into India at less than their normal value. It sits on top of the basic customs duty and can change your landed cost overnight.
We help you check whether your goods are covered, track new investigations and prepare your data. Where a hearing or appeal is needed, a practising advocate handles it.
What it is
Anti-dumping duty (ADD) is a trade-remedy duty under Section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. When a product from a particular country is exported to India at less than its normal value and hurts Indian producers, the Central Government may impose a duty, not exceeding the margin of dumping, by customs notification.
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) investigates under the Anti-Dumping Rules of 1995. It examines dumping, injury and the link between them, and sends findings to the Ministry of Finance. A duty normally ceases after five years unless a sunset review shows that dumping would continue or recur.
Who it applies to
Importers
Foreign producers and exporters
Domestic industry
Why it matters
Landed cost changes
Rates differ by producer
Early warning helps
Documents required
For an importer check
- Recent Bills of Entry and commercial invoices
- HS code and product description as declared
- Country of origin and producer name on invoices
- Purchase contracts and price lists
For an investigation response
- Questionnaire reply data and cost sheets
- Export or import price records for the investigation period
- Sales and production records
- Authorisation letters for representatives
For a domestic petition
- Production and capacity data of the petitioner
- Cost of production and selling price records
- Evidence of import volumes and prices
- Injury indicators such as sales, stock and profit trends
How it works
Map your goods to notifications
We match your HS codes, countries of origin and producers against ADD notifications in force and tell you the duty, if any, for each line.
Rebuild your landed cost
We recompute landed cost with the duty, check classification on your Bills of Entry and flag anything that needs re-pricing or a different supplier.
Track investigations and reviews
We watch DGTR initiations and sunset reviews for your products, so you know when to respond and when a duty is near expiry.
Prepare data for any response
If you are named in an investigation or plan a petition, we organise the data and coordinate with trade-remedy counsel, who signs submissions and appears at hearings.
How an ADD case moves
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Initiation | DGTR starts an investigation after a petition or on its own |
| Investigation | Normally one year from initiation, extendable by six months under Rule 17(1) |
| Final findings | DGTR recommends a duty or closes the case |
| Imposition | The Central Government may impose duty within three months of final findings under Rule 18 |
| Sunset review | Duty lasts up to five years, then may be extended after review |
In practice, a Gurugram trader who imports chemicals every quarter should check the notification list each quarter, because a duty can arrive between two orders.
A review must be concluded within twelve months under Rule 23(2). Because the duty cannot be revived once it lapses, timing of a sunset review matters for both importers and domestic industry.
Timelines
Original investigation
One year from initiation, with a possible six-month extension under Rule 17(1) of the Anti-Dumping Rules.
Government decision
Within three months of final findings, the Central Government may impose the duty under Rule 18.
Duty life
Up to five years under Section 9A(5), and up to five more if a sunset review finds dumping would continue or recur.
What happens if you ignore it
Duty on the Bill of Entry
If your product is covered, the duty is charged at import. Ignoring a notification does not remove it. You simply find out at assessment.
Higher rate for non-cooperation
A foreign producer that does not reply to the questionnaire gives DGTR little data to work with, which can weaken its position in the findings.
Missed review window
A sunset review has strict timelines. Miss a filing date and a duty that should end, or continue, may do the opposite.
Frequently asked questions
What is anti-dumping duty in India?
It is a customs duty under Section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, imposed on goods sold into India below normal value. The duty cannot exceed the margin of dumping. The Ministry of Finance imposes it by notification after DGTR recommends it. We check whether your goods are covered and recompute your landed cost.
Who decides whether anti-dumping duty is imposed?
DGTR investigates and recommends, and the Central Government decides. Under Rule 18, the Government may impose the duty within three months of final findings. It can also decide not to impose it. Our role is to prepare your data and track each stage so you can respond on time.
How long does an anti-dumping duty last?
A duty ceases after five years from imposition under Section 9A(5), unless the government extends it for up to five more years after a sunset review. The review must conclude within twelve months under Rule 23(2). Once it lapses it cannot be revived, so we diarise expiry dates for your products.
How long does an anti-dumping investigation take?
An original investigation runs one year from initiation, and it can be extended by six months under Rule 17(1). The Government then has three months from final findings to act. Tracking helps you plan stock and contracts early.
How do I know if my imported goods attract anti-dumping duty?
Match your HS code, product description, country of origin and producer against ADD notifications in force. Rates can differ by producer, so the supplier matters. We do this for every line on your recent Bills of Entry and give you a written duty and landed-cost summary.
Is anti-dumping duty payable on top of basic customs duty?
Yes, it is charged in addition to the basic customs duty and other levies on the Bill of Entry. This can change your landed cost sharply. We rebuild your costing with the duty included, so your selling price and margin reflect the actual cost.
Can a domestic manufacturer ask for anti-dumping duty?
Yes. An Indian producer harmed by dumped imports can file a petition with DGTR with data on production, costs, import prices and injury. The petition needs consistent numbers. We organise the data and coordinate with trade-remedy counsel, who files the petition and appears at hearings. Imported goods may also need BIS registration, which is a separate check.
Does Taxhint appear before DGTR or the tribunal?
No. We prepare your data, check classification and duty, track notifications and coordinate. Submissions, hearings and appeals are signed and argued by a practising advocate or trade-remedy counsel. We work with them on documents and deadlines, so nothing is left to the last day.
What it costs
Our fee plus the government fee that applies to your case, quoted before you commit. Tell us the situation and we will price it exactly.
There is no government fee for checking whether a duty applies to you. Anti-dumping duty itself is payable on the Bill of Entry at the rate in the notification. Counsel fees for hearings or appeals are separate and quoted by the advocate.
Ready to begin?
Send us your last three Bills of Entry and we will tell you which lines carry anti-dumping duty and what it does to your cost.