India Solar Duty Fails Domestic Producers as Demand Dwindles

  • Imports from Thailand, Vietnam rise to avoid duty: Waaree
  • India imposed safeguard duty on Chinese solar cells in 2018
Solar panels implemented by Amplus Solar stand on the roof of the Yamaha Motor Co. plant in Surajpur, Uttar Pradesh, India.Photographer: Prashanth Vishwanathan
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India’s bid to protect its solar-equipment makers by imposing a safeguard duty on cheap, Chinese imports has failed, according to domestic manufacturers, who are campaigning for tougher measures.

The country last year imposed a 25 percent tariff on solar cells and modules imported from China and Malaysia for two years. That has resulted in developers either stalling projects to circumvent the two-year timeframe or sourcing cheap imports from Southeast Asia, the Indian Solar Manufacturers Association and equipment makers including Waaree Energies Ltd., Jupiter Solar Power Ltd. and Vikram Solar Ltd. said.