Page 37 - Annual Report 2019

8. Safeguard Investigations Initiated By require a finding of an “unfair” practice (generally) and
India are applied on MFN basis i.e. they are applicable
against all the countries with uniform rate of duty
unlike the anti-dumping duties.
8.1 Safeguard Measures are one of the three types of
trade remedy measures, along with anti-dumping and
countervailing measures, available to WTO Members. 8.2 India with its fast growing consumer base is
Safeguard measures are defined as “emergency” attracting huge imports into the country which in
actions to address serious injury to the importing some cases affects the interest of the domestic
Member’s domestic industry and is used as temporary industry, thus India had to resort to use of safeguard
relief when imports of a particular product suddenly measures. India has initiated 43 safeguard
increase to a point that they cause or threaten to cause investigations from 1995 to 31.3.2019 and imposed SG
serious injury to domestic producers of like or directly measures in 22 cases. The chart below presents the
competitive products. Safeguard duties give domestic number of Safeguard cases initiated and measures by
producers a period of grace to become more competitive India annually during last one decade.
vis-à-vis imports. Thus, safeguard measures, unlike
anti-dumping and countervailing measures, do not 8.3 During 2018-19 the work of Safeguard

Safeguard Investigations Initiated and Measures Imposed by India

* Source: Estimated Archived Data

Investigations was transferred from DG Safeguard, international markets and globalisation, it is
Department of Revenue to DGTR. During the year the necessary that India is able to export smoothly to other
Directorate received 6 applications seeking imposition countries. However, Indian exports have been facing
of safeguard tariff and one application seeking trade remedial investigations in other countries,
quantitative restriction. The examination of which may affect the natural competitive advantage
applications revealed that the same were not enjoyed by the country in some of the products due to
accompanied by sufficient positive evidence, therefore its local and intrinsic strengths.
Authority did not initiate any new safeguard
investigation. However, the Authority issued one final
finding regarding imposition of safeguard measure 9.2 In totality India has been a target of 235 Anti-
(Solar Cells) against the investigation initiated during Dumping investigations, 86 Countervailing
the year 2017-18. investigations and 308 Safeguard cases from 1995
onwards till 31.03.2019. Since a Safeguard case
9. Trade Remedy Investigations Against applies against all the countries equally on MFN basis,
Exports From India it may be understood that all these cases are also
targeting India however, not all products could be of
9.1 To capitalise the advantages of opening economic relevance to India.

29 | Annual Report 2018-19 | DGTR