Safeguard duty on solar cells to discourage cheap import

The government has extended the safeguard duty on solar cells for one more year till July 2021 to protect domestic manufacturers and discourage cheap imports from countries such as China.

A duty of 14.9 per cent will be levied during the period from July 30, 2020 to January 29, 2021, and then 14.5 per cent from January 30, 2021 to July 29, 2021, the department of revenue in a notification said.

The move followed recommendations by the commerce ministry’s investigation arm — the directorate general of trade remedies (DGTR) — for continued imposition of the duty for one more year.

The duty applies to imports from Thailand and Vietnam too but excludes imports from any other developing country.