Indian Probe Targets Aluminum Extrusion Imports From 4 Countries Representing 90% of Imports
Key Facts
India’s Directorate General of Trade Remedies has launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of aluminum extrusions, profiles and products from China, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand, according to a notice dated November 9, 2026. The directorate initiated the probe on its own, drawing on information from the Aluminum Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India, domestic producers and import data. The investigation will determine whether the products are being sold in India at dumped prices and whether those practices have harmed the domestic industry. Preliminary data reviewed by the directorate showed that the four countries together accounted for about 90% of India’s imports of the products under investigation during the investigation period. The notice imposes no immediate duties; it opens a process to examine the allegations before any recommendation on trade measures is made.
The investigation covers extrusions used in architectural, industrial, transportation, electrical and general engineering applications, as well as bars and rods, excluding wire rods, and welded or seamless pipes. Finished products also include door and window frames and solar panel mounting structures. The scope therefore concerns products used across multiple sectors, rather than aluminum in general. The association, known by the abbreviation ALEMAI, represents about 228 Indian manufacturers of the products under investigation. The directorate said the domestic industry is fragmented and that most of its units are small and medium-sized enterprises.
The notice set the period from April 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, or 15 months, for measuring dumping and related effects. The injury assessment also covers the fiscal years 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25, in addition to the investigation period. The directorate justified choosing a period longer than 12 months by saying most domestic producers are small and medium-sized enterprises that keep records on a fiscal-year basis. It said using a period from July 2025 to June 2026 would have created “significant practical difficulties” in preparing and verifying information. This timeframe allows the directorate to compare preliminary indicators during the investigation period with data for the earlier fiscal years included in the notice.
Based on preliminary information, the directorate said the normal value of the products in the countries concerned exceeds the calculated export price at the ex-factory level, and that the estimated dumping margins are above de minimis levels. It also presented preliminary indicators of injury to the domestic industry, including a marked decline in profitability, cash profits and return on capital employed. The information indicated that domestic producers are incurring losses and facing significantly weak capacity utilization. The directorate said the allegedly dumped imports had depressed prices in the domestic industry. These indicators remain part of the preliminary basis for opening the investigation, which aims to determine whether the alleged dumping occurred, its extent and its impact.
Interested parties are to submit information through the “CETO” portal within 37 days of the notification letters and questionnaires being sent to known parties and representatives of the countries concerned. The deadline allows exporters, producers and other interested parties to present their data to the directorate as part of the investigation. The directorate will examine the submissions to determine whether dumping occurred, its extent and its impact on India’s industry. If it finds that duties are necessary to remove the injury, it may recommend imposing anti-dumping duties. The notice opening the investigation itself is not a final decision to impose those duties.
In the broader aluminum market, aluminum futures “ALI USD” closed at 3191.5 on November 6, 2026, according to EL7 data. In China, the producer price index rose 5.7% year over year in October, while increasing 0.7% month over month, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics published on November 9. The annual increase was 0.7 percentage points higher than in the previous month, while the monthly change slowed by 0.5 percentage points. Producers’ purchase prices for nonferrous metals and wires also rose 16.7% year over year in October. These are data on Chinese prices, while the next direct step in the Indian investigation remains the receipt of responses within the deadline set by the notice.