In a move that could provide a lifeline to Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd (KMML), the Union government has promised to review and possibly increase the import duty on titanium dioxide. After a high-level meeting led by MPs NK Premachandran and K Radhakrishnan with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, the Center agreed to consider reintroduction of anti-dumping duty along with an increase in import duty.
The delegation, which included KMML union leaders, highlighted how the surge in Chinese imports had destabilized the domestic market, leading to financial distress for the public sector enterprise.
Following discussions between the union delegation and the Union Finance Minister in previous years, the Union government successfully imposed an anti-dumping duty on titanium dioxide imported from China to protect domestic manufacturers. However, this safeguard faced a legal setback when the Calcutta High Court stayed the order citing procedural irregularities in the way the duty was implemented. This judicial intervention forced the Union government to subsequently withdraw the anti-dumping duty, leaving companies like KMML vulnerable to cheap foreign imports once again.
Legal context
During a recent meeting, this legal context was presented to the Union Finance Minister, who has now given an assurance that both the reinstatement of anti-dumping duty and a general increase in import duties will be considered to correct past problems and boost domestic industry.
KMML is the only manufacturing facility in India to produce high quality rutile grade titanium dioxide using advanced Chloride Route technology. In order to sustain and expand this specialized production, the Industries Ministers of Kerala and Tamil Nadu recently held discussions to explore the possibility of cooperation in obtaining mineral sand from the Tamil Nadu coast for high value processing. The project is to combine the vast availability of Tamil Nadu’s mineral resources with the technical expertise of KMML. A proposal was also made to source ilmenite, the basic raw material for titanium dioxide, from Tamil Nadu to ensure a stable supply chain for KMML.
Published – 23 Dec 2025 20:29 IST
