Govt Initiates Anti-Dumping Investigation on TPU-Based Paint Protection Film from China [Read Notification]

The Directorate General of Trade Remedies ( DGTR ), under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has initiated an anti-dumping investigation into imports of Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU)-based Surface/Paint Protection Films originating in or exported from China PR.

The investigation was notified on June 16, 2025, following a complaint filed by Garware Hi-Tech Films Limited, a key domestic producer of the product.

The investigation targets TPU-based paint protection films (PPF), a polymeric film used primarily in the automotive industry and increasingly in furniture and related sectors. These films, which come in both transparent and colored forms, are applied to external surfaces to shield them from scratches, chips, and other damages. The product is typically sold in rolls and measured in metric tons.

Garware Hi-Tech Films Ltd. alleged that the TPU-based films are being dumped in the Indian market at unfairly low prices, causing material injury to the domestic industry. The DGTR observed a significant increase in volume and price suppression from Chinese imports, preventing Indian producers from recovering costs and earning reasonable profits.

As per the application, the subject goods imported from China are identical in function, quality, and end-use to the domestically manufactured version and are considered “like articles” under trade rules.

The period under investigation (POI) is from January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024, with injury analysis covering the last three financial years. The DGTR, upon reviewing the available data, concluded that there was sufficient prima facie evidence of dumping, injury, and a causal link between the two to justify a formal probe under Section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and the Anti-Dumping Rules, 1995.

The Authority will now assess the existence and extent of dumping, its impact on the domestic industry, and determine whether an anti-dumping duty should be recommended. Interested parties, including exporters, importers, and industry stakeholders, have been invited to submit their information and responses within 30 days from the date of the notice.

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