The directorate general of anti-dumping and allied duties, in 2002-03, initiated investigations into the import of 30 products, with China figuring in 15 of those, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Arun Jaitley said on Tuesday.

Releasing the annual report of the DGAD in New Delhi, he said the other investigations were initiated against Taiwan and Korea with six cases each, and Singapore with four cases.

India was the leading nation in using anti-dumping measures. It initiated 35 investigations followed by the US (22) and Argentina (10).

Of the 30 products under investigation, 11 pertain to chemicals and petrochemicals sector, five to consumer goods, four to steel and other metals, and three to pharmaceuticals.

Jaitley pointed out that the total number of 153 anti-dumping cases had been initiated since 1992 out of which final findings had been issued in 117 cases and preliminary findings issued in 18 cases till March 31 this year.

Out of the 153 cases, 52 appeals had been filed before the Customs, Excise & Gold (Control) Appellate Tribunal which had given judgement in 34 cases and upheld the decision in 26 cases by the designated authority, while in five cases it had been partially modified.

He said 82 anti-dumping cases and 32 subsidy cases had been initiated against exports from India.

The highest number of such cases continued to be on engineering products, including steel products accounting for 32 per cent of the total cases followed by textiles (19 per cent), drugs, pharmaceuticals and basic chemicals (18 per cent) rubber/plastics (13 per cent) and consumer/ industrial goods (12 per cent).

Out of the 82 anti-dumping cases initiated against exports from India, the highest continued to be by European Union (33 per cent), followed by the US (17 per cent), South Africa (13 per cent), Indonesia (7 per cent), Canada (6 per cent), and Brazil (5 per cent).

Argentina, Australia, Egypt, Mexico, Turkey, Thailand and Trinidad and Tobago accounted for a share of 1.5 per cent each, totalling 19 per cent.

Out of the 32 anti-subsidy cases initiated against India, EU accounted for 44 per cent followed by the US and South Africa (19 per cent) each and Canada (16 per cent) and Brazil (3 per cent).

Set up under the department of commerce in 1998, DGAD has been publishing its annual report since 2001.