India Imposes 5-Year Anti-Dumping Duty of USD 460–681/MT on Titanium Dioxide from China

India has imposed a definitive anti-dumping duty on titanium dioxide (TiO₂) imported from China. CBIC Notification No. 26/2026-Customs (ADD), dated 24 October 2026, levies a duty of USD 460 to 681 per metric tonne, varying by producer, for a period of five years from the date of publication in the Official Gazette. The duty follows final findings by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) and is aimed at protecting Indian manufacturers of titanium dioxide from dumped imports. For importers who rely on Chinese TiO₂ — paint, coatings, plastics, paper, printing-ink and masterbatch producers — this is a direct and significant increase in landed cost.

What Happened

Titanium dioxide is the world's most widely used white pigment, prized for its opacity and brightness in paints, plastics, paper and inks. DGTR, India's trade-remedy authority, investigated whether Chinese TiO₂ was being exported to India below normal value and injuring the domestic industry. Its final findings (F. No. 6/03/2024-DGTR, dated 3 August 2026) recommended a definitive duty, issued on remand following a Calcutta High Court judgment of 22 September 2025 in Indian Paint Association v. Union of India & Ors.

CBIC has now given effect to those findings. The duty is producer-specific:

• LB Group (specified entities): USD 460/MT
• Twelve non-sampled cooperative producers: USD 510/MT
• Shandong Jinhai / Shandong Xianghai: USD 563/MT
• Anhui Gold Star group: USD 609/MT
• All other producers, and imports from third countries routed from China: USD 681/MT

The duty covers goods classified under HS 2823 00 10, 3206 11 10 and 3206 11 90, though the notification states that classification is indicative only and the product description governs. The legal basis is Section 9A of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975, read with the Anti-dumping Rules, 1995.

Why This Matters

Anti-dumping duty is levied in addition to basic customs duty, any applicable surcharge and IGST — and it is charged per tonne, not as a percentage, so it bites hardest when international TiO₂ prices are soft. At USD 681/MT for non-cooperating or third-country-routed producers, the duty can add materially to the cost of every tonne landed. Because the duty is producer-specific, the exact Chinese producer named on your documents determines the rate you pay. Sourcing from an unnamed or "all other" producer, or routing through a third country, attracts the highest rate.

Who's Affected

Indian importers and downstream users of titanium dioxide — paint and coatings companies, plastics and masterbatch processors, paper mills, printing-ink makers and cosmetics manufacturers that use pigment-grade TiO₂. Customs brokers filing bills of entry for Chapter 28/32 pigments must apply the correct producer-specific rate. Domestic TiO₂ manufacturers are the intended beneficiaries of the protection.

What Importers and CHAs Should Do Now

• Identify the exact producer. Confirm the specific Chinese producer/exporter named on your invoice and mill documents, and map it to the correct duty slab (USD 460, 510, 563, 609 or 681/MT).
• Recompute landed cost. Add the per-tonne ADD on top of basic customs duty, surcharge and IGST, and update your costing, quotations and contracts.
• Beware third-country routing. TiO₂ "from third countries routed from China" attracts the top USD 681/MT rate — transhipment does not escape the duty and may raise origin-fraud exposure.
• Classify on description, not just HS. Since classification is indicative, ensure the product description on the bill of entry correctly reflects pigment-grade titanium dioxide.
• Check in-transit and prior shipments. Confirm the effective date against the Gazette publication date and assess consignments already on the water.
• Evaluate alternative origins. Model the economics of non-Chinese TiO₂ or qualifying domestic supply against the new duty-inclusive cost.

The Bigger Picture

This notification is one of a string of recent trade-remedy actions India has taken on Chinese chemical and industrial inputs, reflecting a wider push to shield domestic manufacturing from dumped imports. The producer-specific structure — with sharply higher rates for non-cooperating and third-country-routed supply — is designed to reward transparency and penalise circumvention. For import-dependent downstream industries, trade remedies like this one are a reminder that sourcing concentration in a single origin carries a regulatory, not just a logistical, risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a brand-new duty or a reimposition? It is a definitive duty imposed on DGTR's final findings, issued on remand after a Calcutta High Court judgment. Several reports describe it as a reimposition following that litigation.

How is the duty charged? As a fixed amount per metric tonne (USD 460–681/MT depending on the producer), in addition to basic customs duty, surcharge and IGST — not as a percentage of value.

How long will it apply? Five years from the date of publication in the Official Gazette, unless revoked, superseded or amended earlier.

My supplier isn't on the named list. What rate applies? Producers not specifically named fall into the "all other producers" category at USD 681/MT, the same rate applied to China-routed third-country imports.

Which HS codes are covered? HS 2823 00 10, 3206 11 10 and 3206 11 90 — but classification is indicative and the product description in the notification governs scope.

Conclusion

CBIC Notification No. 26/2026-Customs (ADD) puts a five-year, producer-specific anti-dumping duty of USD 460–681/MT on Chinese titanium dioxide. Importers should pin down the exact producer, recompute duty-inclusive landed cost, avoid third-country routing, and confirm the effective date against the Gazette before clearing further consignments.

This article is for general guidance only and is not legal advice. Verify the exact duty table, product scope and effective date of Notification No. 26/2026-Customs (ADD) in the Official Gazette and on the CBIC portal (cbic.gov.in) before filing.