India’s proposed 25 percent duty on imports of solar cells and solar modules for the next two years could weigh on Taiwanese suppliers with operations in China or Malaysia, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) said yesterday.
India’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry recommended imposing a 25 percent safeguard duty on the two products from China and Malaysia, as overseas supplies have hurt the domestic industry, the Bureau of Foreign Trade said in a statement.
The Indian administration suggested a 25 percent levy for the first year, dropping to 20 percent for the first half of the second year and then 15 percent for the remainder of that year.
NO EXEMPTION
While Taiwanese suppliers contributed to less than 3 percent of India’s solar cell and solar module imports last year, Taiwan did not obtain an exemption from additional tariffs on solar cells, the bureau said.
Taiwan shipped solar cells worth US$92.07 million to India last year, accounting for a 2.23 percent market share — the third-largest share after China (88.2 percent) and Malaysia (5.89 percent), the bureau said, citing India’s trade data.
After consulting top players in the field, the bureau said it expects Taiwanese companies selling high-priced solar cells to India to face more pressure from the proposed tariffs than those who export solar modules.
MOST AFFECTED
Taiwan’s major solar cell manufacturers include Gintech Energy Corp (昱晶), Taiwan Solar Energy Corp (元晶) and Sino-American Silicon Products Inc ( 中美晶).
Indian companies in the solar power supply chains might urge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration to adjust the tariffs, as solar cell costs would rise and India’s local solar cell supplies could remain insufficient to meet demand, the bureau said.
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