The investigation, which commenced on June 22, 2026, pertains to imports during the period from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, while the injury analysis will take into account the duration from FY2022-23 to FY2024-25.
The complaint asserts that hot-rolled flat products of alloy and non-alloy steel being exported from China, Japan, and Russia are being sold at dumped prices, resulting in substantial harm to the domestic industry.
The DGTR will assess the existence, level, and impact of the alleged dumping. Initial findings suggest that the product was exported at prices significantly lower than its normal value.
The dumping margin has been identified as exceeding the de minimis threshold, indicating a significant concern for exports from these nations.
However, the Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has expressed concerns that imposing anti-dumping duties on a product for which India relies 90% on imports could lead to increased transformer costs and hinder the expansion of the country’s power grid.
CRGO steel is essential in the magnetic core of every power and distribution transformer, as it significantly reduces energy losses, making it crucial for effective electricity transmission and distribution.
GTRI anticipates that demand for CRGO steel will increase as India invests ₹9.15 lakh crore to enhance its power grid by 2032, incorporating 191,000 circuit kilometres of transmission lines and more than doubling transformer capacity to 2,342 GVA.
Current annual consumption of CRGO is estimated at 400,000-450,000 tonnes, while domestic production is limited to only 40,000-50,000 tonnes. Consequently, nearly 90% of India’s requirement is fulfilled through imports, mainly from China, Japan, South Korea, and Russia.
Noting that CRGO imports are already subject to mandatory BIS quality certification, GTRI highlighted that each imported coil must comply with Indian standards before being sold, framing the investigation as a pricing dispute rather than one of product quality.
The think tank further pointed out that the complainant became the sole producer of CRGO steel in India after acquiring Thyssenkrupp Electrical Steel India’s Nashik plant in January 2025.
