US Commerce finalises anti-dumping and countervailing duties on solar cells from India, Indonesia and Laos, with USITC ruling due in October.
WASHINGTON (Economy India): The United States has finalised steep anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duties (CVD) on imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells and panels from India, Indonesia and Laos, after concluding that producers and exporters in the three countries dumped products in the US market and benefited from government subsidies.
The US Department of Commerce announced its final determinations on Friday, marking a major escalation in Washington’s trade enforcement measures against solar imports. The investigations were initiated following complaints from the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, whose members include US solar manufacturers First Solar, Hanwha Qcells and Mission Solar Energy.
The decision could have significant implications for Indian solar manufacturers and exporters seeking access to the US market, particularly as Washington continues to strengthen domestic solar manufacturing and address what it considers unfair trade practices.
123.04% Anti-Dumping Duty on Indian Solar Producers
For Indian producers and exporters, the US Commerce Department determined a final anti-dumping margin of 123.04%.
The department also imposed a countervailing duty rate of 126.09% on Indian producers, reflecting its finding that producers benefited from countervailable government subsidies.
The investigations cover crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules.
The high rates are expected to increase the cost of Indian solar products entering the US market and could put additional pressure on exporters competing with domestic US manufacturers and suppliers from other countries.
Indonesia Faces Variable Countervailing Duties
For Indonesian solar producers, the final anti-dumping margin was fixed at 94.36%.
The countervailing duty rates for Indonesian producers range from 73.2% to 173.7%, depending on the producer or exporter involved.
The variation reflects company-specific findings made during the Commerce Department’s subsidy investigation.
Indonesia had emerged as an important source of solar products for the US market as global manufacturers diversified their production bases beyond China.
Laos Also Hit With Heavy Solar Duties
For producers from Laos, the US Commerce Department assigned a final anti-dumping margin of 65.43%.
Countervailing duty rates for Lao producers range from 82.03% to 153.67%, according to the final determination.
Laos has become a growing production location for solar equipment in Southeast Asia, making the US action significant for regional solar supply chains.
Why the US Imposed the Duties
The Commerce Department’s investigations examined whether solar cells imported from India, Indonesia and Laos were being sold in the US at unfairly low prices and whether producers were receiving government subsidies that distorted competition.
The department had earlier issued preliminary affirmative findings in both the anti-dumping and countervailing-duty investigations.
In its preliminary CVD determinations, Commerce had calculated subsidy rates of 125.87% for India, up to 143.30% for Indonesia, and 80.67% for Laos.
Its preliminary anti-dumping determinations had estimated dumping margins of 123.04% for India, 35.17% for Indonesia and 22.46% for Laos. The final findings subsequently resulted in higher final anti-dumping margins for Indonesia and Laos.
US Solar Manufacturers Welcome Decision
The trade case was brought by the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, representing major US solar manufacturers.
Tim Brightbill, lead attorney for the alliance, said the final determinations were an important step toward enforcing US trade laws and restoring fair competition for American solar manufacturers and workers.
The US solar manufacturing industry has been pushing for stronger trade protection as American companies expand domestic production amid a broader shift toward clean-energy manufacturing.
Final USITC Decision Still Pending
The Commerce Department’s final duty determinations do not immediately represent the final conclusion of the overall trade case.
The US International Trade Commission (USITC) is scheduled to make its final determination on October 14, 2026, on whether imports from India, Indonesia and Laos materially injured or threatened to injure US solar manufacturers.
If the USITC makes an affirmative injury determination, the Commerce Department is expected to issue the final duty orders in November 2026.
This means the investigation is entering a crucial phase for exporters and importers waiting for the final implementation of the duties.
Part of a Wider US Solar Trade Dispute
The latest action is part of a much broader US effort to protect domestic solar manufacturing from what Washington considers unfairly traded imports.
The United States first imposed anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties on Chinese solar products in 2012. Those measures encouraged manufacturers to shift some production to other Asian countries, contributing to the expansion of solar manufacturing capacity across Southeast Asia.
The new investigations involving India, Indonesia and Laos therefore represent another chapter in the long-running US trade dispute over solar products and global manufacturing networks.
What It Means for India
For India, the duties come at a time when the country is rapidly expanding its domestic solar manufacturing capacity and seeking to increase its presence in global clean-energy supply chains.
The US has been an important export market for Indian solar manufacturers. The steep duties could make Indian-origin solar cells and modules significantly less competitive in the American market if the final orders are implemented.
At the same time, the measures could encourage Indian manufacturers to strengthen their domestic market focus, diversify export destinations and reassess production and supply-chain strategies.
Key Final Duty Rates
| Country | Final Anti-Dumping Duty | Final Countervailing Duty |
|---|---|---|
| India | 123.04% | 126.09% |
| Indonesia | 94.36% | 73.2%–173.7% |
| Laos | 65.43% | 82.03%–153.67% |
The US action is likely to intensify scrutiny of solar supply chains across Asia as American manufacturers seek greater protection from low-priced imports.
For Indian solar companies, the immediate focus will be on the USITC’s October 14 injury determination and the potential issuance of final duty orders in November.
The outcome could influence India’s solar exports to the US, investment decisions by manufacturers and the broader reshaping of global solar manufacturing and trade flows.
(Economy India)
