U.S.Starts anti-dumping probe into PTFE resin from India
Context:
- The U.S. has initiated anti-dumping duty investigations against import of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) resin from India and China.
Why the step has been taken?
- Anti-dumping measures are taken to ensure fair trade and provide a level-playing field to the domestic industry.
- They are not a measure to restrict imports or cause an unjustified increase in cost of products.
What is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)?
- Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is a synthetic fluoropolymer of tetrafluoroethylene that has numerous applications.
Usage:
- PTFE is used as a non-stick coating for pans and other cookware.
- It is non-reactive, partly because of the strength of carbon-fluorine bonds, and so it is often used in containers and pipework for reactive and corrosive chemicals.
Import and export between India and the U.S:
Exports
- India was the United States’ 18th largest goods export market in 2016.
- The top export categories (2-digit HS) in 2016 were: precious metal and stone (diamonds), machinery, optical and medical instruments, mineral fuels, and electrical machinery.
- Leading agricultural domestic export categories include: tree nuts, cotton, pulses, fresh fruit, and planting seeds.
- Leading services exports from the U.S. to India, in 2015, were in the travel, transport, and intellectual property (computer software, audio and visual related products) sectors.
Imports
- India was the United States’ 9th largest supplier of goods imports in 2016.
- The top import categories (2-digit HS) in 2016 were: precious metal and stone (diamonds), pharmaceuticals, mineral fuels, miscellaneous textile articles, and machinery.
- Leading agricultural categories of imports include: spices, rice, tree nuts, essential oils, and processed fruit & vegetables.
- Leading services imports from India to the U.S., in 2015, were in the telecommunications, computer, and information services, travel, and research and development sectors.
