ADD investigation concerning imports of Calcined Gypsum Powder exported from Egypt

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-20032026-271100 EXTRAORDINARY PART I-Section 1 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 61] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2026/PHALGUNA 27, 1947 MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (Directorate General of Trade Remedies) INITIATION NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 18th March, 2026 Case No. ADD (OI) – 09/2026 Subject: Initiation of Anti-dumping investigation concerning imports of "Calcined Gypsum Powder" Originating in or exported from Egypt. 1. F. No. 06/10/2026 -DGTR: Having regards to the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 as amended from time to time (hereinafter referred as the 'Act') and the Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment, and Collection of Anti-dumping Duty Rules, 1995, as amended from time to time (hereinafter referred to as the 'Rules'), M/s Saint Gobain India Pvt Ltd., (hereinafter referred to as the “applicant"), has filed an application before the Designated Authority (hereinafter referred to as the 'Authority'), for initiation of Anti-dumping duty investigation by alleging subsidization of Calcined Gypsum Powder, originating in or exported from Egypt (hereinafter referred to as the 'subject country'). A. Product Under Consideration 2. The product under consideration in the present application is “Calcined Gypsum Powder or Gypsum plaster". The subject goods are also known as Plaster of Paris, Gypsum Stucco and Stucco Powder". Gypsum Rock is chemically called Calcium Sulphate Dihydrate (CaSO4. 2 H2O), which when heated in controlled way it loses 1.5 water (H2O) from its crystal structure to become stucco or gypsum plaster which is chemically know as Calcium Sulphate Hemihydrate (CaSO4. 0.5 H2O). 3. The process of giving heat to convert gypsum rock to gypsum plaster is called calcination from which the word calcined gypsum powder or plaster comes. Calcination is the practice of dehydrating gypsum into plaster or stucco through a batch or continuous process which includes heating the gypsum in a controller way to evaporate crystalline water. Crystalline bound water is removed in a controlled heating process at 120-180 degree centigrade. B. Like Article 4. The Applicant has claimed that there is no known difference between the subject goods exported from the subject countries and that produced by the domestic industry. Subject goods produced by the domestic industry and imported from the subject countries are comparable in terms of essential product characteristics such as physical & chemical characteristics, manufacturing process & technology, functions & uses, product specifications, pricing, distribution & marketing and tariff classification of the goods. Consumers use the two interchangeably. The Applicant has further claimed that the two are technically and commercially substitutable and, hence, should be treated as like article under the Rules. Therefore, for the purpose of the present investigation, the subject goods produced by the Applicant in India are being treated as 'Like Article' to the subject goods being imported from the subject countries. C. Subject Country 5. The present investigation is in respect of alleged dumping of the PUC from Egypt. D. Period of Investigation 6. The period of investigation for the present application is proposed from October 2024 to September 2025 (12 months). The injury analysis may be done for the period 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the POI. E. Domestic Industry and Standing 7. Rule 2(b) defines domestic industry as follows: ""domestic industry' means the domestic producers as a whole of the like article or domestic producers whose collective output of the said article constitutes a major proportion of the total domestic production of that article, except when such producers are related to the exporters or importers of the alleged subsidised article, or are themselves importers thereof, in which case such producers shall be deemed not to form part of domestic industry" 8. The application has been filed by M/s Saint Gobain India Pvt Ltd. (SGIPL), who is the major producer (55%) of the Calcined Gypsum Powder or Gypsum plaster in India. M/s Saint Gobain India Pvt Ltd. further submitted that in the present case producers of the subject goods are from fragmented industry consisting of a large number of small producers across the country. 9. The Applicant has further stated that, it is not practically possible to collect data relating to production from each individual producer, due to nature and size of industry. It is further submitted that there are no published records of the gross domestic production of the product in India and such information is also not collated by any governmental or market research agency however, as per their information, they account for major producers of the subject goods in India. The petitioner has also certified that there are no imports of the product under consideration by the petitioner or any of its related party. Further, they are also not related to any importer of the subject goods in India. Therefore, the Authority has considered the Applicant as Domestic Industry within the meaning of the Rule 2(b) of the Rules, and the application satisfies the criteria of standing in terms of Rule 5 of the Rules supra. F. BASIS OF ALLEGED DUMPING a. Normal Value 10. The applicant has claimed that comparable domestic prices in Egypt were not available due to the confidential nature of such information; therefore, the normal value was determined on an alternative basis by constructing the cost of production using reasonably available information, estimated manufacturing and conversion costs, with appropriate additions for selling, general and administrative expenses and reasonable profit. 11. However, the Authority for the purpose of initiation has considered the normal value which has been constructed on the basis of the cost of production in India, with reasonable addition for selling, general & administrative expenses, and profits for the subject country. b. Export Price 12. The export price of the product under consideration has been determined by considering the CIF price of the product under consideration as reported in DG System data. Adjustments have been made for ocean freight, marine insurance, handling charges, port expenses, inland charges, commission, credit cost and bank charges. с. Dumping Margin 13. The normal value and the export price have been compared at ex-factory level, which prima facie shows that the dumping margin is above the de-minimis level and is significant with respect to the product under consideration exported from the subject country. Thus, there is prima facie evidence that the product under consideration from the subject country is being dumped in the Indian market by the exporters from the subject country. G. Allegation of injury and causal Link 14. The applicant has provided prima facie evidence with respect to the injury suffered by the domestic industry due to the dumped imports. The volume of the subject imports from the subject country has increased in both absolute as well as relative terms. There is evidence of price suppression and depression due to imports. The subject imports have had an adverse impact on the profitability parameters of the domestic industry. 15. From the foregoing, the Authority prima facie finds sufficient evidence of dumping of the subject goods originating in or exported from Egypt, injury to the domestic industry and causal link between the alleged dumping and injury exist to justify initiation of an anti-dumping investigation in terms of Rule 5 of the Rules, to determine the existence, degree, and effect of alleged dumping and to recommend the amount of anti-dumping duty, which if levied, would be adequate to remove injury to the domestic industry. H. Initiation of the Investigation 16. On the basis of the duly substantiated application by the domestic industry, and having satisfied itself, on the basis of prima facie evidence submitted by the applicant substantiating the dumping and consequent injury to the domestic industry, the Authority hereby initiates an anti-dumping investigation into the alleged dumping and consequent material injury to the domestic industry in accordance with Section 9A of the Act read with Rule 5 of the Rules, to determine the existence, degree, and effect of alleged dumping and to recommend the amount of dumping duty, which if levied would be adequate to remove the injury to the domestic industry. I. PROCEDURE 17. The provisions stipulated in Rule 6 of the Anti-Dumping Rules shall be followed in this investigation. J. Submission of Information 18. All the interested parties are required to register themselves on SETU Portal (https://setu.dgtr.gov.in). All communications and submissions from the interested parties shall be uploaded on the SETU portal under their registered name and corresponding case ID- AD/OI/010/2026. It should be ensured that the narrative part of the submission is in searchable PDF/MS-Word format and data files are in MS-Excel format. 19. The known producers/exporters in subject country, the government of subject country through its Embassy in India, and the importers and users in India who are known to be associated with the product under consideration are being informed separately to enable them to file all the relevant information within the time limits mentioned in this initiation notification. All such information must be filed in the form and manner as prescribed by this initiation notification, the Rules, and the applicable trade notices issued by the Authority. 20. Any other interested party may also make a submission relevant to the present investigation in the form and manner as prescribed by this initiation notification, the Rules, and the applicable trade notices issued by the Authority within the time limits mentioned in this initiation notification. 21. Any party making any confidential submission before the Authority is required to make a non- confidential version of the same available to the other interested parties. 22. The interested parties are further advised to keep a regular watch on the official website of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies at www.dgtr.gov.in and SETU portal(https://setu.dgtr.gov.in) for any updated information with respect to this investigation. Interested parties are directed to regularly visit the website of DGTR (https://www.dgtr.gov.in/) to stay apprised with the further developments in the subject investigation and remain informed regarding notices that may be issued from time to time regarding questionnaire formats, PCN methodology, PCN discussion/meeting schedule, notice of oral hearing, corrigendum, amendment notifications, and other such information. K. Time Limit 23. Any information relating to the present investigation should be uploaded on the SETU portal (https://setu.dgtr.gov.in) under their registered name and corresponding case ID- AD/OI/010/2026. Both versions of each submission, the confidential version (CV) and the non-confidential version (NCV) must be uploaded in the respective designated columns within 37 days from the date on which the nonconfidential version of the application filed by the domestic industry would be circulated by the Authority or transmitted to the appropriate diplomatic representative of the exporting country as per Rule 6(4) of the AD Rules, 1995. If no information is received within the stipulated time limit or the information received is incomplete, the Authority may record its findings based on the facts available on record and in accordance with the AD Rules, 1995. 24. All the interested parties are hereby advised to intimate their interest (including the nature of interest) in the instant matter and file their questionnaire responses within the above time limit as stipulated in this notification through SETU portal only. 25. The 15 day period to file comments on the scope of PUC/PCN Methodology shall run concurrently with the time limit mentioned in para 23 above of this initiation Notification. 26. Extension due to Modification of PUC/PCN: An extension of time by 15 days shall be granted if the Authority, through a subsequent notice, modifies the PUC, and PCN that was not previously proposed or is different from the initiation notification. This extension of 15 days shall be granted from date of such notification of modified PUC and PCN. Extension of time by 15 days stated in this paragraph is not applicable in instances where there is no change in the PUC, and PCN methodology after initiation of investigation. Requests for a further extension of time, beyond the 15-day extension (if granted), will ordinarily not be considered except in case of exceptional circumstances, in line with the Rule 7(4) of the AD Rules. 27. Any request for an extension must be submitted by the concerned parties through the SETU portal at least one day before the original deadline specified in paragraph 23 above. Requests submitted after this time will not be considered. L. Submission of Information on Confidential Basis 28. Where any party to the present investigation makes confidential submissions or provides information on a confidential basis before the Authority, such party is required to simultaneously submit a non-confidential version of such information in terms of Rule 7(2) of the AD Rules and in accordance with the relevant trade notices issued by the Authority in this regard. Failure to adhere to the above may lead to rejection of the response/submissions. 29. The parties making any submission (including Appendices/ Annexures attached thereto), before the Authority including questionnaire responses, are required to file confidential and non-confidential versions separately. 30. Such submissions must be clearly marked as “confidential” or “non-confidential" at the top of each page. Any submission that has been made to the Authority without such markings shall be treated as "non- confidential" information by the Authority, and the Authority shall be at liberty to allow other interested parties to inspect such submissions. 31. The confidential version shall contain all information which is, by nature, confidential, and/or other information, which the supplier of such information claims as confidential. For the information which is claimed to be confidential by nature, or the information on which confidentiality is claimed because of other reasons, the supplier of the information is required to provide a good cause statement along with the supplied information as to why such information cannot be disclosed. 32. The non-confidential version of the information filed by the interested parties should be a replica of the confidential version with the confidential information preferably indexed or blanked out (where indexation is not possible) and such information must be appropriately and adequately summarized depending upon the information on which confidentiality is claimed. 33. The non-confidential summary must be insufficient detail to permit a reasonable understanding of the substance of the information furnished on a confidential basis. However, in exceptional circumstances, the party submitting the confidential information may indicate that such information is not susceptible to summary, and a statement of reasons containing a sufficient and adequate explanation in terms of Rule 8 of the Rules, 1995, and appropriate trade notices issued by the Authority, as to why such summarization is not possible, must be provided to the satisfaction of the Authority. 34. The interested parties can offer their comments on the issues of confidentiality claimed by the domestic industry within 7 days from the date of circulation of the non-confidential version of the documents. 35. The Authority may accept or reject the request for confidentiality on examination of the nature of the information submitted. If the Authority is satisfied that the request for confidentiality is warranted or if the supplier of the information is either unwilling to make the information public or to authorize its disclosure in generalized or summary form, it may disregard such information. 36. Any submission made without a meaningful non-confidential version there of or a sufficient and adequate cause statement in terms of Rule 8 of the Rules, and appropriate trade notices issued by the Authority, on the confidentiality claim shall not be taken on record by the Authority. 37. The Authority on being satisfied and accepting the need for confidentiality of the information provided, shall not disclose it to any party without specific authorization of the party providing such information. M. Inspection of public file. 38. All non-confidential versions of submissions made by any interested party will be accessible to other interested parties through their respective login on the SETU portal. N. Non-Cooperation 39. In case any interested party refuses access to and otherwise does not provide necessary information within a reasonable period or within the time stipulated by the Authority in this initiation notification or subsequently time period provided through separate communication, or significantly impedes the investigation, the Authority may declare such interested party as non-cooperative and record its findings based on the facts available and make such recommendations to the Central Government as it deems fit. AMITABH KUMAR, Designated Authority Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054.