The government may impose a provisional safeguard duty of 25 per cent on imports of single-mode optical fibre, used for signal transmission, based on a Commerce Ministry investigation that found a sudden and significant surge in the imports of the fibre.
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) , the ministry's investigation arm, initiated the probe in September following a complaint from the domestic industry.
The preliminary findings concluded that the product is being imported in increased quantities and may cause a serious damage to the domestic industry, DGTR said.
"Existing critical circumstances justify the immediate imposition of a provisional safeguard duty in order to save the domestic industry manufacturing like or directly competitive products," it said.
"Considering the critical circumstances and the extent of serious injury, pending final determination of rate of safeguard duty, a provisional safeguard duty of 25 per cent is proposed to be imposed on the imports .
