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The Finance Ministry issued the anti-dumping order following the finding to this effect by Directorate General of Trade Remedies – the investigative wing of the Commerce Ministry – which had recommended the action.
According to the findings of the investigation, the goods were being exported to India below normal values, which led to “material injury” to the domestic companies.
Ankit Agarwal, MD of Sterlite Technologies, termed the decision “a strategic move that will unlock the growth potential” of the indigenous optical fibre industry.
“Optical Fibre is a hi-tech product and it is absolutely critical for India’s digital ambitions. Low-price, low-quality fibre coming into India through these countries can impact the longevity and quality of India’s 5G and rural broadband network and can potentially wash off nearly 10 years of the fibre’s lifetime,” Agarwal said.
The domestic industry said that the prescribed anti-dumping measures will now act as an effective deterrent, and go a long way in ensuring a future-ready, high-quality network build for India. “These measures not only strengthen the Indian optical industry, but also pave the way for India to become a global leader in optical fibre, taking PM Modi’s Digital and Atmanirbhar India vision to greater heights.”
Kapil Mehta, CEO of Birla Furukawa Fibre Optics, said that the Indian optical fibre industry is self-sufficient in producing high-quality fibre and is competitive globally. “India currently possesses a capacity that is nearly 2x to 3x more than what is required. Therefore, there was no justifiable reason for India to rely on imports, which not only negatively impacts the competitiveness of our domestic industry but also compromises the quality of our fibre networks.”
The government’s move comes at a time when India is in the middle of a massive digitisation drive through the ambitious rural outreach programme, Bharat Net, while private operators are adding fibre to their network for 4G and 5G services.
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