Government imposes 12% safeguard duty on certain steel products for 200 days

India imposes 12% safeguard duty on steel products to protect domestic industry, welcomed by steel minister and Indian Steel Association.

India on Monday (April 21, 2025) imposed a 12% provisional safeguard duty for 200 days on five steel product categories, including hot rolled coils, sheets and plates, to protect domestic players from surge in imports.

The decision follows a recommendation for the same by the Commerce Ministry’s investigation arm DGTR. Last month, the DGTR suggested to impose the duty.

“...the Central Government after considering the said findings of the Director General (Trade Remedies), hereby imposes...a provisional safeguard duty at the rate of twelve% ad valorem,” according to a notification of the Department of Revenue.

It said that the safeguard duty imposed under this notification shall be effective for a period of 200 days (unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier) from the date of publication of this notification.

The Government has set the import prices between $675 per tonne to $964 per tonne for the five steel product categories. Any shipment imported below these import prices would attract the safeguard duty.

The safeguard duty shall not be imposed on the product categories when imported into India at or above the specified import price on CIF (cost insurance freight) basis, according to the notification.

The product categories are Hot Rolled coils, sheets and plates; Hot Rolled Plate Mill Plates; Cold Rolled Coils and Sheets; Metallic Coated Steel Coils and Sheets; and Colour Coated coils and sheets, whether or not profiled.