Sunset review investigation of countervailing duty on Aluminium wire in coil form / wire rod exported from Malaysia

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-27042026-272108 EXTRAORDINARY PART I-Section 1 PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 116| NEW DELHI, MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2026/VAISAKHA 7, 1948 2966 GI/2026 MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (Directorate General of Trade Remedies)) INITIATION NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 27th April, 2026 (Case No. CVD (SSR) 02/2025) SETU ID CVD/SSR/07112025/01 Subject: Initiation of Sunset Review investigation of Countervailing Duties on Aluminium Wire in coil form or wire rod in coil form having diameter ranging from 9 mm to 13 mm originating in or exported from Malaysia. F. No. 7/25/2025-DGTR.—Hindalco Industries Limited, Vedanta Limited and Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (hereinafter referred to as "applicants” or “domestic industry”), has filed an application before the Designated Authority ("Authority”), in accordance with the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 as amended from time to time (“Act”) and Customs Tariff (Identification, Assessment and Collection of Countervailng Duties on Subsidized Articles and Determination of Injury) Rules, 1995, as amended from time to Time (“ CVD Rules") seeking initiation of sunset review investigation of countervailing duties on “aluminium wire in coil form or wire rod in coil form having diameter ranging from 9 mm to 13 mm” (“subject goods" or "product under consideration" or "PUC"), originating in or exported from Malaysia ("subject country"). 2. In terms of Section 9(6) of the Act, the countervailing duties imposed shall, unless revoked earlier, cease to have effect on expiry of five years from the date of such imposition, and the Authority is required to review whether the expiry of the said duty is likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of subsidization and injury to the domestic industry. In accordance with the same, the Authority is required to review, on the basis of a duly substantiated request made by or on behalf of the domestic industry, as to whether there is a need for the continued imposition of the countervailing duty, and whether the expiry of the duty is likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of subsidization and injury to the domestic industry. A. Background 3. The original countervailing duty investigation concerning imports of the subject goods from Malaysia was initiated by the Authority vide Notification No. 6/3/2020-DGTR dated June 30, 2020. The Authority issued its final findings vide Notification No. 6/3/2020-DGTR dated June 28, 2021, recommending the imposition of the countervailing duties on imports of the subject goods from Malaysia for a period of five years. 4. The Central Government, vide Notification No. 4/2021-Customs (CVD) dated September 24, 2021, imposed the countervailing duties as recommended by the Authority for a period of five years. The duties are in force until September 23, 2026. B. Product under consideration 5. The product under consideration for the present sunset review is the same as in the original investigation: The product under consideration in the present investigation is —Aluminium Wire in coil form/Wire Rod in coil form having diameter ranging from 9 mm to 13 mm. The product under consideration includes both alloyed and non-alloyed aluminium wire. The major raw material used for manufacturing the product under consideration is alumina. The product under consideration is produced and obtained by casting primary aluminium hot metal obtained from smelting of alumina. Aluminium wire can also be produced by melting of scrap. Aluminium wire produced through scrap is beyond the scope of the product under consideration. The product is classified under the Chapter 76 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 under customs tariff heading 76011040, 76012040,76041010, 76042920, 76051100 and 76052100. The customs classification is indicative only and in no way binding upon the product scope. Aluminium Wire produced by the domestic industry is a like article to the Aluminium Wire imported from the subject country 6. The present investigation, being a sunset review investigation, the scope of the product under consideration remains the same as defined in the original investigation. 7. The PUC is classified in Chapter 76 of Schedule I to the Act, under HS Codes 76011040, 76012040, 76041010, 76042920, 76051100 and 76052100. The HS Codes are only indicative and not binding, as the product may be imported under different tariff headings. 8. The Authority did not adopt any Product Control Numbers ("PCNs") in the present investigation. Further, the applicants have not proposed the adoption of any PCNs. However, interested parties may file comments on the scope of the PUC and PCNs, if any, within 15 days from the date of this notification. C. Like Article 9. The applicants claim that there are no known differences between the subject goods exported from the subject country and the like domestic article produced by the domestic industry. Both goods are comparable in terms of physical and chemical characteristics, functions and uses, distribution and marketing, and tariff classification. The two are technically and commercially substitutable. Consumers have used and are using the two interchangeably. The goods produced by the applicant are “like articles" to the subject goods that are imported from the subject country. Therefore, for the purpose of the present investigation, the goods produced by the applicant in India are being treated as ‘like article' to the subject goods being imported from the subject country. D. Domestic Industry and Standing 10. The application has been filed by Hindalco Industries Limited, Vedanta Limited and Bharat Aluminium Company Limited. The applicants claim that they have not imported the subject goods from the subject country. The applicants have submitted data regarding the total domestic production in India, and the same is considered appropriate at this stage. 11. On the basis of information present in the application and after due examination, the Authority notes that the applicants account for "a major proportion" of the total domestic production of the like article in India, and the application has been filed "by or on behalf of the domestic industry”. Accordingly, the applicants qualify as the "domestic industry” in terms of Rule 2(b), the application satisfies the requirements of Rule 24(3) and Rule 6(3) of the CVD Rules. E. Subject Country 12. The subject country for the present investigation is Malaysia. F. Period of Investigation 13. In its application, the applicants had proposed that the Authority adopt the period of investigation ("POI") of July 2024 to June 2025. Thereafter, the applicants filed additional data and proposed that the Authority adopt the period July 2024 to December 2025 as the POI. 14. The POI for the present sunset review is July 2024 to December 2025 (18 months), and the injury investigation period will cover the periods from April 2022 to March 2023, April 2023 to March 2024, April 2024 to March 2025, and the POI. The POI of 18 months is appropriate since this would ensure that the subsidization, injury and the likelihood of continuation or recurrence of subsidization and injury can be more comprehensively analysed over a longer and more representative period. G. Subsidy Programs 15. The applicants have alleged that the producers/exporters of the subject goods in the subject country continue to be benefitted from countervailable subsidies provided at various levels by the Government of Malaysia, including the provinces and districts in which producers/exporters are located. The applicants have also claimed that there are additional programs or schemes that should be considered in the present investigation. The applicants have provided prima facie evidence regarding the following subsidy programs: I. Schemes previously countervailed in the original investigation Program No. 1: The Market Development Grant Program No. 2: Business/Industry Excellence Award Program No. 3: Export Credit Refinancing Program No. 4: Buyer Credit Guarantee Program No. 5: Pioneer Status Program No. 6: Investment tax Policies/ Allowances Program No. 7: Reinvestment Allowance Program No. 8: Accelerated Capital Allowance Program No. 9: Group Relief Program No. 10: Tariff Related Incentives Program No. 11: Allowance for Industrial Building/Industrial Building Allowance (1BA) Program No. 12: Allowance of Plant and Machinery Program No. 13: Double deduction for promotion of exports Program No. 14: Incentives for manufacturing and manufacturing related services in East Coast Economic Corridor. Program No. 15: Drawback on import duty, Sales tax and excise duty Program No. 16: Exemption from import duty and sales tax for outsourcing manufacturing activities Program No. 17: Exemption from import duty and sales tax on machinery and equipment Program No. 18: Exemption from import duty on raw materials/components Program No. 19: Double deduction for promotion of exports Program No. 20: Double deduction for promotion of export cargo Program No. 21: Allowance for increased export. Program No. 22: Tax exemptions for exporters in Free Trade zones Program No. 23: Less than adequate remuneration for land and electricity II. New Subsidy Programs Program No. 24: Commercialisation of Research and Development Fund (CRDF- 1/2/3) Program No. 25: InnoFund (Enterprise Innovation Fund and Community Innovation Fund) Program No. 26: Cradle Investment Programme (CIP Spark / Sprint) Program No. 27: Domestic Investment Strategic Fund (DISF) Program No. 28: NCER Talent Enhancement Programme (NTEP) Program No. 29: Business Accelerator Programme (BAP 3.0) Program No. 30: Bumiputera Enterprise Enhancement Programme (BEEP) Program No. 31: SMEs Export Enhancement Programme (GEB & SMEGG) Program No. 32: Domestic Investment Accelerator Fund (DIAF for ESG Adoption) Program No. 33: Foreign Investment Accelerator Fund (FIAF) Program No. 34: Smart Automation Grant (SAG) MADANI Program No. 35: Industry4WRD Intervention Fund Program No. 36: Malaysia Co-Investment Fund (MyCIF) Program No. 37: Digital Financing Initiative (PMKS Digital Financing) Program No. 38: SME Revitalisation Financing (SMERF) Program No. 39: Low Carbon Transition Facility (LCTF) Program No. 40: SME Automation & Digitalisation Facility (ADF) Program No. 41: All Economic Sectors Facility (AES) Program No. 42: Business Recapitalisation Facility (BRF) Program No. 43: Future Ready Financing Program No. 44: Soft Financing Scheme for Automation & Modernisation (SFSAM) Program No. 45: SME Transformation Financing (SMETF) Program No. 46: Soft Financing for Services Capacity Development (SFSCD) Program No. 47: Soft Financing Scheme for Digital & Technology (SFDT) Program No. 48: Sustainable Green Biz Financing (SGBF) Program No. 49: Second Chance Financing (2CF) Program No. 50: MADANI Development Scheme Program No. 51: Industry Digitalisation Transformation Scheme (IDTS) Program No. 52: Sustainable Development Financing Scheme (SDFS) Program No. 53: High Tech & Green Facility (HTG) Program No. 54: Disaster Relief Facility (DRF) Program No. 55: Incentives for Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Program No. 56: Tax Incentives for In-House R&D Program No. 57: Double Deduction for R&D Program No. 58: Sales Tax Exemption on Raw/Packaging Materials Program No. 59: Licensed Manufacturing Warehouse (LMW) Program No. 60: Double Deduction for Promotion of Malaysian Brand Program No. 61: Automation Capital Allowance (Automation CA) Program No. 62: International Procurement Centre (now Principal Hub Scheme) Program No. 63: Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) – Assets Program No. 64: Green Investment Tax Allowance (GITA) – Project for Business Purposes 16. The Designated Authority may investigate other subsidies, which may be found to exist and availed by the producers/ exporters of the subject goods in the subject countries, during the course of the investigation. H. Likelihood of Continuation or Recurrence of Injury and Causal Link 17. The applicants have submitted that there is likelihood of continuation/recurrence of subsidization and consequent injury to the domestic industry in the event of cessation of anti-subsidy duty, considering increased subsidies availed by the largest producer of the subject goods in Malaysia, attractiveness of the Indian market, export orientation of producers/exporters of the subject goods in Malaysia and global dynamics such as the enhancement of the Section 232 duties by the United States on aluminium products and likely adverse impact of cessation of anti-subsidy duty on the performance of the domestic industry. I. Initiation of the Sunset Review Investigation 18. On the basis of the duly substantiated application by or on behalf of the domestic industry, and having satisfied itself, on the basis of the prima facie evidence submitted by the applicants, substantiating likelihood of continuation or recurrence of subsidization and injury to the domestic industry in the event of expiry of the countervailing duties, the Authority hereby initiates a sunset review investigation to review the need for continued imposition of countervailing duty on imports of the subject goods from the subject countries and to examine whether the expiry of the existing countervailing duty is likely to lead to continuation or recurrence of subsidy and consequent injury to the domestic industry, in accordance with Section 9(6) of the Act, read with Rule 24 of the CVD Rules. J. Submission of Information 19. All interested parties are required to register themselves on the 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 the corresponding case ID - CVD/SSR/07112025/01. It should be ensured that the narrative part of the submission is in a searchable PDF/MS Word format, and data files are in MS Excel format. 20. The known producers/exporters in the subject country, the Government of the subject country through its Embassy in India, the importers and users in India known to be concerned with the subject goods and the domestic industry are being informed separately to enable them to file all relevant information in the form and manner prescribed within the time-limit set out below. All such information must be filed in the form and manner prescribed by this initiation notification, the Rules, and the applicable trade notices issued by the Authority. 21. Any other interested party may also make its submissions relevant to the investigation in the form and manner prescribed by this initiation notification, the Rules, and the applicable trade notices issued by the Authority within the time limit set out below. 22. Any party making any confidential submission before the Authority is required to make a non-confidential version of the same available to other parties. 23. 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 the 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 the DGTR to stay apprised of further developments in the subject investigation and remain informed regarding notices that may be issued from time to time. K. Time Limit 24. Any communications and submissions from the interested parties shall be uploaded on the SETU portal under their registered name and the corresponding case ID - CVD/SSR/07112025/01. 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 of issuance of the notice as per Rule 7(4) of the CVD Rules. 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 CVD Rules, 1995. 25. 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. 26. The 15-day period to file comments on the scope of the PUC/ PCN Methodology shall run concurrently with the time limit mentioned above in this Initiation Notification. 27. 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 CVD Rules. 28. Any request for an extension must be submitted by the concerned parties through the SETU portal at least one day before the original deadline. Requests submitted after this time will not be considered. L. Submission of information on a confidential basis. 29. 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 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. 30. 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. 31. 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. 32. 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. 33. 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. 34. The non-confidential summary must be in sufficient 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 as to why such summarization is not possible, must be provided to the satisfaction of the Authority. 35. The interested parties can offer their comments on the issues of confidentiality within 7 days from the date of circulation of the non-confidential version of the documents. 36. 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 not 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. 37. Any submission made without a meaningful non-confidential version thereof or a sufficient and adequate cause statement in terms of Rule 7 of the Rules, and appropriate trade notices issued by the Authority, on the confidentiality claim shall not be taken on record by the Authority. M. Inspection of public file. 38. All non-confidential versions of submissions made by any interested parties will be accessible to other interested parties through their respective login on the SETU portal. Ν. 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 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.