India plans to impose a basic customs duty (BCD) on wafers and ingots that go into the manufacturing of solar cells and modules, said power and new and renewable energy minister Raj Kumar Singh on Friday.
This will make their import from China expensive and comes in the backdrop of all imported solar cells, modules and inverters set to attract a basic customs duty starting on 1 August.
The BCD follows the 29 July expiry of safeguard duties on solar cells and modules imported from China and Malaysia.
The move is a reflection of India’s economic strategy to impose more tariff barriers to check imports from China, and comes against the backdrop of mounting tensions along the India-China border.
