On March 18, 2025, the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) of India issued its Preliminary Findings in the safeguard investigation concerning imports of non-alloy and alloy steel flat products into India.
Details of the preliminary findings have been published by the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam (TRAV) [here].
Following DGTR’s proposal, on April 21, 2025, the Department of Revenue – Ministry of Finance of India issued Notification No. 01/2025-Customs (SG), officially imposing a provisional safeguard duty on imports of non-alloy and alloy steel flat products as recommended in DGTR’s preliminary findings.
DGTR determined that there had been a sudden and significant surge in imports of these products into India, which caused serious injury and threat of further injury to the domestic industry. The authority concluded that any delay in applying safeguard measures could result in irreparable damage. Therefore, a provisional safeguard duty was deemed necessary.
Provisional Safeguard Duty Details
A 12% safeguard duty will apply to products under HS codes: 7208, 7209, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7225, and 7226.
These include:
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Hot-rolled steel coils, sheets, and plates
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Hot-rolled steel plates in large formats
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Cold-rolled steel coils and sheets
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Metal-coated steel coils and sheets (including galvanized, aluminum-zinc, zinc-aluminum-magnesium)
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Pre-painted (color-coated) steel coils and sheets
However, the safeguard duty will not apply if the import price (CIF) equals or exceeds the threshold values below:
| Product Type | CIF Price Threshold (USD/ton) |
|---|---|
| Hot-rolled coils | $675 |
| Hot-rolled plates | $695 |
| Coated steel | $824 |
| Metal-coated steel (galvanized, aluminum-zinc, zinc-aluminum-magnesium) | $861 |
| Color-coated steel (with or without profiling) | $964 |
Certain specialized steel products are exempt from this measure, including oriented electrical steel, stainless steel, electroplated steel, rubber-coated steel, nickel alloy steel, etc. (Refer to the official notification for the complete list).
Scope and Duration of Application
The provisional safeguard duty excludes imports from developing countries, except China and Vietnam, due to their import market shares exceeding the minimum exemption threshold.
The safeguard duty will remain effective for 200 days (unless revoked or amended earlier), starting April 21, 2025, and will be levied in Indian Rupees (INR).
The full text of the notification can be downloaded [here].
Contact for Further Information
Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam (TRAV)
Department of Trade Remedies, Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT)
4th Floor, 54 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Contact Officer: Ms. Nguyễn Thúy
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Tel: (84-24) 7303.7898 (ext. 108)
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Mobile: 0904.545.869 / 0968.456.865
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Email: thuyngth@moit.gov.vn / nganha@moit.gov.vn