Tata Steel has urged the Indian government to impose safeguard duties on steel imports to shield the domestic industry from the indirect effects of the recent U.S. tariff hikes, Managing Director T.V. Narendran said on Tuesday.
Concerns Over Global Steel Trade Shifts
Narendran highlighted that several countries have already taken protective measures against steel imports. In the past few days, Vietnam imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese steel imports, while South Korea has taken similar action.
“We are asking for safeguard duties, which can be imposed immediately to help us,” Narendran stated at the Nasscom Technology and Leadership Forum (NTLF).
His comments follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 25% import tax on steel and aluminum, removing previous exemptions for Canada and European suppliers.
India’s Steel Industry Braces for Indirect Impact
While India does not export significant volumes of steel to the U.S., Narendran cautioned that global trade shifts triggered by U.S. tariffs could indirectly affect India.
“It’s not that India is exporting a lot of steel to the US. But, the steel which used to end up in the US will land somewhere else in the world. That will have an impact on India also indirectly,” he explained.
Also read: Jindal Stainless MD Seeks 25% Import Duty to Curb Dumping
Industry Push for Immediate Safeguard Duties
The Indian Steel Association has already made a formal request to the government to impose safeguard duties instead of anti-dumping duties, as the latter takes longer to implement. Narendran warned that delays in implementing protectionist measures could disrupt investment plans, squeeze margins, and affect capital expenditure (capex) decisions for steel producers.
Earlier this month, Jindal Stainless Managing Director Abhyuday Jindal also pushed for import duties of up to 25% to protect domestic manufacturers from potential steel dumping in India. While Narendran did not specify the exact duty level Tata Steel is seeking, the industry remains eager for immediate government action to mitigate the impact of shifting global trade dynamics.
