India takes 26 trade defence measures during 2008-09

India has taken 26 trade defence measures, including anti-dumping duty, since March 2008 up to November 2009, in order to protect its small and medium enterprises from cheap imports mainly from China.

"During 2008-09 and 2009-10 (up to November 2009) anti-dumping duty was imposed in 22 cases and final safeguard duty was imposed in 4 cases," an official statement said.

Trade defence measures offset adverse effects of dumped, subsidised or increased imports.

Imports from China increased by about 35 per cent to Rs 147,605 crore in 2008-09 from Rs 109,116 crore in the previous year.

Anti-dumping duty is imposed when a product is imported at less than its normal value and causes injury to the domestic industry. Meanwhile, safeguard duty can be levied in case there is serious threat of injury/market disruption.

During a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing on January 19, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma took up the matter of increasing trade gap with China.

India had a huge trade gap of about $7 billion (over Rs 32,100 crore) in 2008-09, with imports from China amounting to more than $32 billion.