India to launch anti-dumping investigation into Chinese solar exports?

BEIJING - India is likely to launch an anti-dumping investigation against Chinese solar panels soon, potentially adding to similar sanctions from the U.S. and Europe. “I’m expecting that, in the next few days, India will officially issue a statement triggering the probe,” said Zhang Sen, general secretary of the solar division of the China Chamber of Commerce for Import & Export of Machinery & Electronic Products.

State newsagency Xinhua said other industry sources confirmed that such a move became likely after the India Solar Manufacturers Association filed a petition calling for anti-dumping tariffs in June.

Zhang said India may be set to take action now due to the recent rapid influx of Chinese solar panels as demand slows in the U.S. and Europe, both due to maturation of those markets and also because of effects of punitive tariffs.

Chinese panel exports to India surged 82% in the first five months of the year to US$1.8 billion, accounting for about a third of all of China’s solar-panel exports, according to industry data.   www.webershandwick.cn (ATI).