US imposes 123 percent anti-dumping duty on Indian solar imports; total tariffs exceed 230 percent, India, Indonesia and Laos targeted in probe.
April 28, 2026. By EI News Network
The US Department of Commerce has imposed a preliminary anti-dumping duty of 123.04 percent on solar cell and module imports from India, significantly escalating trade barriers for Indian exporters.
The move follows an investigation into alleged unfair pricing practices and comes on top of existing countervailing duties, taking the total tariff burden to over 230 percent.
The decision stems from a probe initiated in July 2025 after a petition by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, which represents domestic manufacturers. The investigation concluded that Indian solar products were being sold in the US market below fair value, thereby undercutting local producers and distorting competition.
In addition to India, the US has also announced anti-dumping duties on imports from Indonesia (35.17 percent) and Laos (22.46 percent). Together, these countries accounted for nearly $4.5 billion worth of solar imports into the United States last year, representing a substantial share of total inbound shipments in the sector.
The anti-dumping duty adds to earlier countervailing duties of around 125.87 percent imposed on Indian imports to offset alleged government subsidies. As a result, Indian exporters now face one of the highest effective tariff rates in the global solar trade, making shipments to the US commercially unviable under current conditions.
The investigation identified key Indian manufacturers, including entities of the Adani Group such as Mundra Solar PV and Mundra Solar Energy, along with Premier Energies and Kowa Company, as primary respondents. Other firms, including Waaree Energies and Vikram Solar, fall under the 'all-others' category and are subject to standardised duty rates.
The US authorities have also invoked the 'critical circumstances' provision, allowing duties to be applied retroactively on imports made up to 90 days prior to the preliminary ruling. This exposes exporters to additional financial liabilities on shipments already delivered.
Industry analysts indicate that the steep tariff structure will sharply reduce India’s solar exports to the US, which has been a key destination market. Companies are expected to redirect supplies toward alternative regions such as Europe and West Asia, while also focusing on India’s expanding domestic renewable energy sector.
The move aligns with broader US policy efforts to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity in clean energy technologies, supported by incentives under recent legislation. It also continues a pattern of trade actions targeting solar imports from Asian countries.
Final determinations by the Commerce Department for India and Indonesia are expected by July 13, 2026, followed by a ruling from the US International Trade Commission in October. If both agencies uphold the findings, the duties will be formalised, further reshaping global solar trade dynamics.
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