On 24 April 2026, India notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) Committee on Safeguards that on 16 March 2026 it had initiated a safeguard investigation into imports of soda ash, classifiable in tariff subheading 2836.20.
In the notification, India indicated, among other things, that:
1. Point of contact for the investigation and deadlines
(a) All interested parties are required to register themselves on the SETU Portal (https://setudgtr.gov.in) to participate in the investigation. Interested parties are requested to make their views known within 37 days of the date of the notice. All communications and submissions from the interested parties shall be uploaded on the SETU portal under their registered name and corresponding case ID.
(b) The known producers/exporters, the governments of the exporting countries through their embassies in India and the importers and users in India who are known to be associated with the subject goods are informed separately to enable them to file all the relevant information within the stipulated time limits.
(c) If no information is received within the prescribed time limit or the information received is incomplete, the investigating authority may record its findings based on the facts available on record in accordance with the rules.
2. Reasons for initiation of investigation
(a) The investigation has been initiated following the examination of the safeguard application of the Domestic Industry (DI) alleging serious injury and the threat thereof caused by the recent sudden, sharp and significant increase in imports of the PUC. In its application, the Domestic Industry has provided the following information:
(i) There was a recent, sudden, sharp and significant increase in imports of the PUC beginning in 2023 to 2024, which continued thereafter till September 2025 during the Period 01 April 2023 to 30 September 2025.
(ii) The DI has reported that imports have increased primarily due to several unforeseen factors, including:
(A.) Significant excess capacity globally, far exceeding global consumption.
(B.) Disruption in the traditional trade route to Europe due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, along with economic slowdown, leading to diversion of exports to India.
(C.) Economic slowdown, persistent high inflation, higher energy costs, currency depreciation and declines in industrial production have reduced demand from major end-user industries such as glass and automotive.
(D.) Decline in global and country-wise demand for PUC, except in India, where demand is still strong. Exports intended for key markets by major exporting countries are increasingly being diverted to India.
(E.) Substantial and rapid capacity expansion in major countries, namely, the People’s Republic of China, Türkiye and the United States of America (USA), despite a decline in demand, leading to oversupply in the global markets.
(iii) The confluence of all the above unforeseen developments and the effect of obligations undertaken by India under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and other covered agreements has resulted in a recent, sudden, sharp and significant increase in imports of PUC into India, which is causing serious injury to the domestic industry.
(b) Hence, it has been decided to initiate the safeguard investigation under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992 and Rule 5 of the Safeguard Measures (Quantitative Restrictions) Rules, 2012.