U.S. solar manufacturers have filed a formal trade petition seeking new anti-dumping and countervailing duties on solar panel imports from India, Indonesia, and Laos, citing sharp price undercutting and rapid volume growth.
The petition, submitted Tuesday to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), alleges that imports from India and Indonesia have increased by more than 400% since 2021, often selling at prices 40% to 50% below U.S.-produced equivalents.
The American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, which includes leading domestic producers, contends these imports are causing material injury to the U.S. solar sector. The group argues that heavily subsidized foreign supply is undermining recent federal efforts to accelerate domestic solar manufacturing under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Laos was newly added to the petition over concerns that it may be serving as a transshipment route for Chinese solar components. This tactic, previously flagged in Southeast Asia, raises compliance concerns. While Chinese panels remain covered by long-standing duties, the committee warns that Indian and Indonesian manufacturers, some backed by Chinese investment, are now distorting the global market through cost advantages and policy support.
Indian firms such as Waaree Energies and Vikram Solar, and Indonesian exporters including Daya Solar, could be affected if the ITC proceeds. Import data shows a surge in panel shipments from both countries following the expiration of U.S. tariff exemptions in June 2025.
The ITC is expected to issue a preliminary determination in August. If injury is found, the Commerce Department would initiate a detailed investigation into dumping margins and subsidy practices.
The last major round of U.S. solar trade enforcement came in 2022, when the Commerce Department investigated circumvention through Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. That probe resulted in preliminary tariffs but was followed by a two-year moratorium on duties, which expired on June 6, 2025. Imports from India and Indonesia expanded rapidly during the exemption period, filling the gap left by constrained Chinese supply.
By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com
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