US solar panel makers urge tariffs on Indian imports amid ongoing talks over India-US trade deal. Here's why
The petition, filed by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, is the most recent attempt by the small US solar manufacturing sector to secure trade relief. It aims to protect billions of dollars of investments and compete against products primarily made by Chinese companies abroad.
The Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade includes First Solar, Hanwha's Qcells, Talon PV, and Mission Solar.
The group earlier succeeded in securing tariffs on imports from Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Thailand. These tariffs were imposed earlier this year, causing some global producers to shift production to Indonesia and Laos.
Both countries filled the import gap as shipments from other South Asian countries fell. In May, Indonesia and Laos made up 44 per cent of US cell and module imports, a significant increase from 1.9 per cent in the same month last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. India's solar exports to the US have risen since mid-2022.
"We have always said, vigorous enforcement of our trade laws is critical to the success of this industry,' Tim Brightbill, lead attorney for the petitioners, was quoted by Reuters.
The latest trade petition has initiated a process where the US Department of Commerce probes whether imports are unfairly priced or subsidised by a foreign government, and the US International Trade Commission decides whether those imports have harmed the domestic industry. New duties may be imposed if the allegations are proven right, Bloomberg News reported.
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