India Reimposes Anti-Dumping Duty of Up to $681 per Tonne on Chinese Titanium Dioxide
The Ministry of Finance has issued Notification No. 26/2026-Customs (ADD), reimposing anti-dumping duties ranging between $460 and $681 per metric tonne on specified titanium dioxide imports originating in or exported from China. The duties, notified by the Department of Revenue, will remain in effect for a period of five years unless revoked, superseded, or amended earlier.
The decision follows the final findings of the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) issued on August 3, 2026, which concluded that Chinese titanium dioxide was being sold in India at dumped prices, causing material injury and posing a threat of continued injury to domestic manufacturers.
Duty Structure and Exporter Breakdown
The duty structure is tiered based on specific Chinese manufacturing groups and exporters:
- LB Group entities: Subject to an anti-dumping duty of $460 per metric tonne.
- Shandong Jinhai and Shandong Xianghai entities: Levied at $563 per metric tonne.
- Anhui Gold Star group entities: Levied at $609 per metric tonne.
- Non-sampled cooperative exporters: Twelve identified cooperative producers will face a duty of $510 per metric tonne.
- Residual category: All other producers and non-cooperative exporters, including certain indirect shipments, face the peak duty of $681 per metric tonne.
The tariffs apply to imports classified under Indian Customs Tariff items 2823 00 10, 3206 11 10, and 3206 11 90.
Legal Background and Remand Investigation
The reimposition marks the second phase of trade remedies on Chinese titanium dioxide. The central government originally imposed anti-dumping duties in May 2025 following a petition filed by domestic producers, including Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd., Travancore Titanium Products Ltd., and VV Titanium Pigments Pvt. Ltd.
However, user industries led by the Indian Paint Association challenged the May 2025 notification in court. On September 22, 2025, the Calcutta High Court ordered authorities to reconsider the case in Indian Paint Association v. Union of India & Ors., effectively creating a duty-free window for importers. Following remand proceedings, the DGTR re-evaluated the dumping margins, affirmed injury to domestic manufacturing capacity, and recommended the renewed five-year levy.
Industry Impact and Downstream Pressures
Titanium dioxide is a key white pigment widely consumed by India's paints, plastics, masterbatch, and printing ink industries. Because rutile-sulphate grade titanium dioxide remains fully covered under the duty schedule, downstream processors do not receive grade-based relief.
The duty is expected to raise input costs for major Indian paint manufacturers such as Asian Paints, Berger Paints India, and Kansai Nerolac, which rely significantly on imported white pigment to maintain production volumes. Operating margins in the paints and coatings segment may face near-term pressure unless companies successfully pass on higher input costs to retail and industrial consumers.
Exclusions from the Duty
The Ministry of Finance notification explicitly carves out certain specialized applications from the tariff. Products excluded include:
- Titanium dioxide used for pharmaceutical tablet coatings.
- Food-grade additives.
- Cosmetics and skincare products.
- Décor paper manufacturing.
- Nano or ultrafine grades with particle sizes below 100 nanometres.
- Select textile and synthetic fibre applications, excluding pigment printing on textiles and fabrics.
