Initiation of Safeguard Quantitative Restrictions investigation concerning imports of Soda Ash into India

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-18032026-271033 EXTRAORDINARY PART I—Section 1 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 54] NEW DELHI MONDAY, MARCH 16, 2026/PHALGUNA 25, 1947 MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (Department of Commerce) [Directorate General of Trade Remedies, (DGTR)] TERMINATION NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 16th March, 2026 Case ID - QR/OI/001/2026 [Under Rule 5 of the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012] Subject: Initiation of Safeguard (Quantitative Restrictions) investigation concerning imports of Soda Ash into India 1. F. No. 22/01/2026-DGTR. Having regard to Section 9A of Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, as amended from time to time (hereinafter also referred to as the "Act") and the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012 thereof, as amended from time to time (hereinafter also referred to as the "Rules"), Alkali Manufacturers Association of India (AMAI) (hereinafter also referred to as the "applicant" or "applicant association") on behalf of DCW Limited, RSPL Limited, Nirma Limited, GHCL Limited and Tata Chemicals Limited (hereinafter also referred to as the "applicant companies") have filed an application, for initiation of safeguard investigation and imposition of safeguard measures in the form of quantitative restrictions concerning imports of "Soda Ash" (hereinafter referred to as "subject goods" or "product under consideration" or "PUC") into India. 2. The applicant has alleged that there has been sudden, sharp, significant increase in the volume of imports of the product under consideration, i.e. Soda Ash, in India in 2023-24, which continues till September 2025, which has caused serious injury to the domestic industry. Accordingly, the applicant has requested for imposition of Safeguard Measures in the form of quantitative restrictions on the imports of the product under consideration into India. A. PRODUCT UNDER CONSIDERATION 3. The product under consideration is "Disodium Carbonate", also popularly known as "Soda Ash" having formula as Na2CO3. Soda Ash is a white, crystalline, water-soluble material. It is produced in two forms by the Indian Producers - Light Soda Ash and Dense Soda Ash. The difference in the two types is the bulk density. It can be either natural soda ash or synthetic soda ash. Both products are essentially the same and the investigation includes all types and form of Soda Ash. 4. The product under consideration is imported under Chapter 28 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, under the code 283620. The customs classification is indicative only and is not binding on the scope of the product under consideration. B. LIKE GOODS 5. Section 9A(4)(b) of Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 provides as follows: "domestic industry” means the producers of goods (including producers of agricultural goods) (i) As a whole of the like goods or directly competitive goods in India; or (ii) Whose collective output of the like goods or directly competitive goods in India constitutes a major share of the total production of the said goods in India; 6. Rule 2(e) of the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012 defines like goods as: “(e) "like goods" means goods which is identical or alike in all respects to the goods under investigation, or in absence of such goods, other goods which has characteristics closely resembling those of the goods under investigation” 7. The applicant has stated that the goods produced by the domestic industry are like goods to the product under consideration being imported into India. It has been stated that there are no significant differences in the product produced by the domestic industry and the product under consideration being imported into India. The applicant claims that the two are technically and commercially substitutable. For the purpose of the present investigation, the goods produced by the domestic industry are being treated as 'like goods' to the subject goods being imported into India. C. DOMESTIC INDUSTRY AND STANDING 8. The application has been filed by Alkali Manufacturers' Association of India. Association Members, DCW Limited, RSPL Limited, Nirma Limited, GHCL Limited, and Tata Chemicals Limited have provided necessary information. The applicant companies are engaged in the production of the like goods in India. 9. The applicant companies account for a major proportion of the total domestic production, constituting domestic industry under Section 9A(4)(b) of the Act read with Rule 2(e) of the Rule 7 of the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012. D. PERIOD OF INVESTIGATION (POI) 10. The period of investigation in the present investigation is the period from April, 2020 to September, 2025. The applicant has submitted that 2023-24 was the start of sudden, sharp, and significant surge in imports of the product under consideration in India, which continues till September, 2025. January 2025- September 2025 has been considered as the most recent period (MRP). It is seen that the surge that started in 2023-24 has continued till the MRP. E. INCREASE IN IMPORTS AS A RESULT OF UNFORESEEN DEVELOPMENTS 11. The Applicant has claimed that there imports of the product witnessed sudden, sharp and recent significant increase in imports of the product under consideration beginning in 2023-24, which continued thereafter till September 2025 both in absolute terms as well as relative terms. It is noted that the imports in April 2023-March 2024 increased by 89% as compared to imports in April 2022-March 2023. The market share of imports relative to total demand also increased from 13% in April 2022-March 2023 to 24% of total demand in April 2023- March 2024. 12. The applicant has claimed that imports have mainly increased from US, Turkey, Russia and such increase was due to a number of unforeseen factors, including the following: a. Due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, traditional trade routes, particularly to Europe, were disrupted by factors such as port disturbances, elevated freight and insurance costs, and increased logistical uncertainty. At the same time, persistent high inflation in the Eurozone, higher energy costs, and an overall economic slowdown in the EU dampened demand from end-user industries such as glass and automotive. Consequently, export volumes that were earlier destined for Europe, historically a key market for Turkey and Russia, were redirected to alternative markets with relatively stronger demand, including India. b. Demand in Turkey as well declined due to economic slowdown in 2023-24, depreciation of Turkish currency and decline in rate of industrial production. However, significant capacity was added by Turkey and thus excess production thereafter was redirected to India at reduced prices. c. Capacities in US increased, however, global demand declined and in particular in Mexico, a key export destination for US. Resultantly, exports were directed to a growing market in India. d. Global demand has weakened and, in view of loss of other markets and further increase in capacities, material was offered by successively reducing prices, resulting in surge in imports in India. Despite decline in global demand, substantial capacity additions are being taken in major countries, China, USA and Turkey rapidly. Direction of surplus volumes to alternative markets from these countries and sustained price depression arising from global oversupply have led to surge in imports in 2023-24 and the same continued thereafter despite price reductions by the domestic industry, causing serious injury to the domestic industry F. SERIOUS INJURY AND THREAT OF SERIOUS INJURY TO THE DOMESTIC INDUSTRY AND CAUSAL LINK BETWEEN IMPORTS AND SERIOUS INJURY AND THREAT OF SERIOUS INJURY 13. The applicant has claimed that sudden, sharp and significant increase in the import of the product under consideration in substantial quantity beginning in 2023-24, which continues till September 2025, has caused serious injury to the domestic industry. Subject imports are undercutting the prices of the domestic industry and causing price depression in the market since 2022-23 leading to decline in profit, cash profit and ROI. Imports have taken over the market share of the domestic industry, despite there being no material demand-supply gap and increased capacities with the domestic industry, significant in import prevented the domestic industry from optimizing increase capacity utilization, production and sales at optimum levels. 14. After examining the information and evidence provided by the applicant, the Authority, prime facie, finds that imports of the subject goods increased in 2023-24 as a result of unforeseen development and continues to remain at the increased level during the most recent period causing serious injury to the domestic industry. G. INITIATION OF SAFEGUARD MEASURES (QUANTITATIVE RESTIRCTIONS) INVESTIGATION 15. On the basis of written application filed in the form and manner prescribed by the applicant and having reached satisfaction based on the prima facie evidence submitted by the applicant, the Authorised Officer considers that there is sufficient evidence to justify initiation of safeguard investigation under Rule 5 of the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012 to determine whether imports have increased suddenly and sharply in the recent period as a result of unforeseen developments, and whether such increased imports have caused or pose a threat of serious injury to the domestic industry. 16. The applicant has requested imposition of safeguard measures for a period of four years. Applicant companies have also provided a statement on the efforts being taken, or planned to be taken, to make a positive adjustment to increase in competition due to imports. H. SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION 17. All interested parties are required to register themselves on the SETU Portal (https://setudgtr.gov.in) in order to participate in the investigation. In case of any difficulty in registering as an interested party, the DGTR's SETU Helpdesk may be contacted through the details provided at https://setu.dgtr.gov.in/help-desk. All communications and submissions from the interested parties must be filed through the SETU Portal under their registered name and the corresponding Case ID mentioned above. Interested parties are required to ensure that the narrative part of the submissions is filed in searchable PDF/MS Word format, while the data files must be submitted in MS Excel format with properly linked calculations. 18. Parties interested in the investigation are hereby advised to intimate their interest (including the nature of interest) in the instant investigation and file their questionnaire response/submissions within the time limits mentioned in this initiation notification. 19. All known interested parties are being informed separately to enable them to file the relevant information in the form and manner prescribed within the time limits mentioned in this initiation notification. 20. Any other interested party may also make a submission relevant to the present investigation in the form and manner as prescribed by this initiation notification, the Rules, and the applicable trade notices issued by the Authorised Officer within the time limits mentioned in this initiation notification. 21. The interested parties are further advised to keep a regular watch on the official website of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies at www.dgtr.gov.in and SETU portal (https://setu.dgtr.gov.in) for any updated information with respect to this investigation. I. TIME LIMIT 22. Any information relating to the present investigation should be uploaded on the SETU portal (https://setu.dgtr.gov.in) under their registered name and corresponding Case ID. Both versions of each submission, the confidential version (CV) and the non-confidential version (NCV) must be uploaded in the respective designated columns within 37 days from the date on which the non-confidential version of the application filed by the domestic industry would be circulated by the Authorised Officer or transmitted to the appropriate diplomatic representative of the major exporting countries. If no information is received within the stipulated time limit or the information received is incomplete, the Authorised Officer may record its findings based on the facts available on record. 23. Any request for an extension must be submitted by the concerned parties through the SETU portal at least three days before the original deadline specified above. Requests submitted after this time will not be considered. J. SUBMISSION OF INFORMATION ON CONFIDENTIAL BASIS 22. Where any party to the present investigation makes confidential submissions or provides information on a confidential basis before the Authorised Officer, such party is required to simultaneously submit a non- confidential version of such information in terms of Rule 7 of the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012. 25. Such submissions must be clearly marked as "confidential" or "non-confidential" at the top of each page. Any submission that has been made to the Authorised Officer without such markings shall be treated as "non- confidential" information by the Authorised Officer, and the Authorised Officer shall be at liberty to allow other interested parties to inspect such submissions. 26. The confidential version shall contain all information which is, by nature, confidential, and/or other information, which the supplier of such information claims as confidential. For the information which is claimed to be confidential by nature, or the information on which confidentiality is claimed because of other reasons, the supplier of the information is required to provide a good cause statement along with the supplied information as to why such information cannot be disclosed. 27. The non-confidential version of the information filed by the interested parties should be a replica of the confidential version with the confidential information preferably indexed or blanked out (where indexation is not possible) and such information must be appropriately and adequately summarized depending upon the information on which confidentiality is claimed. 28. The non-confidential summary must be in sufficient detail to permit a reasonable understanding of the substance of the information furnished on a confidential basis. However, in exceptional circumstances, the party submitting the confidential information may indicate that such information is not susceptible to summary, and a statement of reasons containing a sufficient and adequate explanation as to why such summarization is not possible, must be provided to the satisfaction of the Authorised Officer. 29. The interested parties can offer their comments on the issues of confidentiality within 7 days from the date of circulation of the non-confidential version of the documents. 30. The Authorised Officer may accept or reject the request for confidentiality on examination of the nature of the information submitted. If the Authorised Officer is satisfied that the request for confidentiality is not warranted or if the supplier of the information is either unwilling to make the information public or to authorize its disclosure in generalized or summary form, it may disregard such information. 31. Any submission made without a meaningful non-confidential version thereof or a sufficient and adequate cause statement in terms of Rule 7 of the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012, on the confidentiality claim shall not be taken on record by the Authorised Officer. K. INSPECTION OF PUBLIC FILE 32. All non-confidential versions of submissions made by any interested party will be accessible to other interested parties through their respective login on the SETU portal. L. NON-COOPERATION 33. In case any interested party refuses access to and otherwise does not provide necessary information within a reasonable period or within the time stipulated by the Authorised Officer in this initiation notification, or significantly impedes the investigation, the Authorised Officer may record its findings based on the facts available and make such recommendations to the Central Government as deemed fit. AMITABH KUMAR, Authorized Officer Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.