US Launches Antidumping and Subsidy Probes into Solar Imports from India, Indonesia, and Laos

The US Department of Commerce (Commerce) has initiated antidumping duty (AD) and countervailing duty (CVD) investigations into crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells, whether or not assembled into modules, imported from India, Indonesia, and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos).

According to the data, alleged dumping margins stand at 123.04 percent for India, 94.36 percent for Indonesia, and between 123.12 percent and 190.12 percent for Laos. The alleged subsidy rates for all three countries are above de minimis thresholds, meaning less than one percent for developed countries and less than two percent for developing countries.

The petitioner in the case is the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, which includes Hanwha Q CELLS USA Inc., First Solar Inc., and Mission Solar Energy LLC. It was claimed that these products are being sold in the United States at below fair value and benefit from unfair subsidies.

US import data shows a sharp increase in shipments over the past two years. India’s exports surged from 232 million watts in 2022 to 2.3 billion watts in 2024, valued at 792.6 million dollars. Indonesia’s shipments rose to 1.8 billion watts in 2024, worth 415.2 million dollars, while Laos’ exports jumped from zero in 2022 to 1.9 billion watts in 2024, valued at 335.7 million dollars.

The US International Trade Commission (ITC) is set to issue its preliminary injury determination on September 2, 2025. If affirmative, Commerce will release its preliminary CVD ruling on October 13, 2025, and its preliminary AD ruling on December 26, 2025.

The investigations are registered under case numbers A-533-942/C-533-943 (India), A-560-846/C-560-847 (Indonesia), and A-553-003/A-553-004 (Laos).

In a separate communication, Commerce responded to a query regarding the antidumping duty investigation on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled into modules, from Laos. The agency provided a Q&V questionnaire for Laos producers/exporters to complete and return by August 21, 2025. Responses must be filed via ACCESS, the Commerce Department’s electronic filing system, with public versions submitted for the administrative record.

The notice emphasised that failure to respond could result in adverse facts available (AFA) being applied. Commerce also outlined instructions for identifying the appropriate contacts and referenced the official initiation notice for case details. To date, Commerce maintains 771 AD and countervailing duty orders that provide relief to American companies and industries impacted by unfair trade.

It may be noted that the United States has a long record of imposing antidumping (AD) and countervailing duties (CVD) on solar imports from Asia. In 2012, it set AD rates of up to 250 percent and CVDs on Chinese solar products, saying they were sold below cost with the help of government subsidies. From 2023 to 2025, the US expanded its measures to Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam after finding Chinese firms were avoiding tariffs by shipping through those countries. Final rates announced in April 2025 reached about 125 percent for AD and more than 3,400 percent for CVD.