The Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) conducted reverse auctions, which saw solar tariffs in India seeing the lowest ever level, at ₹ 2.44 per unit in May 2017 for 200 MW and again twice in July 2018, for 600 MW in each instance.
The Director General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) investigated the matter regarding imposition of safeguard duty on import of solar cells and modules. In its final findings dated 16 July 2018, the agency concluded that the domestic solar industry has suffered serious injury considering overall performance, on the basis of listed economic parameters such as market share of imports have increased during the same period, causing significant overall impairment to the domestic industry.
Basing on the DGTR findings, the government has imposed safeguard duty on import of solar cells (modules or panels) including 25 per cent ad valorem excluding anti-dumping duty payable when imported from 30/07/2018 till 29/07/2019; 20 per cent ad valorem excluding anti-dumping duty payable when imported from 30/07/2019 till 29/01/2020; 15 per cent ad valurem excluding anti-dumping duty payable when imported from 30/01/2020 to 29/07/2020.
The above notification will not apply to import of subject goods from countries notified as developing countries vide notification # 19/2016-Customs (N.T.) dated 05 February 2016, except China PR and Malaysia.
