Abbreviation/Code/Pinyin Indian pipe manufacturer accused Chinese welded pipe of being investigated

Indian steel pipe manufacturers require the government to impose anti-dumping duties on API grade X-70 steel pipes imported from China. The Anti dumping and Joint Taxation Council (DGAD), an authority designated by the Ministry of Commerce of India, will conduct an investigation. The product involved is large diameter submerged arc welded pipe under the customs code 7305.

On May 12, Jingdele SAW, Essar Steel and other companies complained, requesting the government to take anti-dumping measures against the above products imported from China. They allege that Chinese steel pipe manufacturers have always won the bidding for oil and gas projects in India at a low price. Chinese steel mills are trying to avoid the anti-dumping duty imposed by the Indian government on hot-rolled steel plates for pipe making. If Chinese steel pipe manufacturers do not stop, they will not survive. In the bidding for a 160000 ton project worth 10.4 billion rupees (about 156 million US dollars) held by India Natural Gas Corporation in April, Indian steel pipe manufacturers only obtained 15% of the supply, while most of them were obtained by Chinese enterprises. The bid winning price was 56000 rupees/ton, significantly lower than the Indian price of 69000 rupees/ton. In August last year, Indian steel pipe manufacturers also lost to Chinese steel mills in the bidding of 55000 tons of steel pipes for India's GAIL natural gas pipeline.

At present, the annual capacity of steel pipes in India is about 6 million tons. In April, the capacity utilization rate was only 35%. 25% of the output is for export market, mainly due to the lack of project demand. Although Prime Minister Modi is speeding up the promotion of these natural gas projects and hopes to put them into production before the 2019 election, local enterprises are unable to compete with Chinese enterprises. According to the data of China Steel Council, China exported 134000 tons of welded pipes to India last year, including about 10000 tons of pipes for oil and gas pipelines. From January to April this year, 77000 tons of welded pipes were exported, including about 30000 tons of pipes for oil and gas pipelines.

At present, India has 10% import tax on SAW pipes, and 5% import tax on other projects. (Manwen Mysteel.com International Department)