India reimposes anti-dumping duty on certain Chinese titanium dioxide products ahead of Diwali

Just before Diwali, India has taken a major trade step against China. The Union government has reimposed anti-dumping duty on certain titanium dioxide products imported from China. The duty ranges from $460 to $681 a ton.

The government says this chemical raw material was being sold in the Indian market at very low prices from China. This was hurting local industries, and the tough decision has been taken to stop that damage.

The move follows the findings of a fresh investigation, which found that low-priced imports from China were hurting India's domestic industry. According to the notification issued by the Department of Revenue on Saturday, the duty will remain in force for five years. The period may be shorter if the duty is revoked, amended or replaced by another duty before then.

An anti-dumping duty had also been imposed on titanium dioxide from China in May 2025. The Indian Paint Association had filed a case, in which the Calcutta High Court ordered the matter to be reconsidered. The duty imposed earlier was then withdrawn.

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR), under the Ministry of Commerce, then began a fresh investigation. On August 3, the DGTR released the findings of its new investigation and recommended the duty. It found that products from China were being sold at dumping prices, causing harm to Indian domestic producers.

Titanium dioxide is a white pigment used in making paint, coatings, plastics and many other products. In India, demand for paint and related products rises before Diwali. With cheap Chinese supply curbed, production costs for paint and plastics makers could rise.

An anti-dumping duty is an additional duty on products imported from another country. When companies from one country sell goods in another country's market at unreasonably low prices and hurt its domestic industry, such a duty can be imposed after an investigation. Its aim is to protect domestic producers from unfairly priced competition. The decision to reimpose the duty on these titanium dioxide products from China is part of this process.