China Iron & Steel Association will urge domestic steelmakers to attend India's hearing into safeguard measures on hot-rolled steel products held in New Delhi recently and will do corresponding coordination work.

India's domestic industry lobbied an anti-dumping investigation application into hot rolled steel coil imported from 15 countries and regions including China and Japan in last November. The country Ministry of Finance further initiated safeguard measure investigations on this April 9th against HRC, HR sheet and strip. Preliminary determination released on April 23rd has levied provisional safeguard duties of as high as 20%.

Though anti dumping investigation ceased in this August safeguard duties still continue, hence steelmakers of other countries would like to urge India to remove the measures. Since the investigation, CISA has been actively coordinating domestic responses, seeking negotiation with Indian enterprises and government and striving to withdraw the safeguard measures.

Mr Qi Xiangdong vice secretary-general of CISA said "If India's trade protection in Q4 of 2008 is a normal reaction to financial crisis, it is perplexing that it still insists on the measures now."

During April to September 2009, India steel consumption grew 5.7% year on year. Total steel demand in fiscal year 2009 is expected to gain about 10%. In the first nine months the country's steel output rose 1.6% to 41.748 million tonnes. Total steel capacity is now 65 million tonnes and is projected to reach 124 million tonnes by 2012. Jumping steel output implies fast economic development and exploding steel demand.

(Sourced from MySteel.net)
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