ASMA Urges Government to Slash Import Duty on Primary Aluminium

The Aluminium Secondary Manufacturers Association (ASMA) calls on the government to reduce import duty on primary aluminium to support the downstream sector. Facing high input costs, the sector struggles to compete due to inflated prices, impacting India's economy and MSME viability.

The Aluminium Secondary Manufacturers Association (ASMA) is pressing the government to lower the import duty on primary aluminum. This step, they argue, will ease domestic prices and bolster the downstream industries burdened with high input costs.

The downstream sector, a critical contributor to economic growth, consists of numerous MSMEs facing significant hurdles. These challenges threaten the market competitiveness of Indian-made aluminum products, both locally and internationally, due to inflated prices linked to a 7.5 per cent duty on primary aluminum.

With global competition intensified by Free Trade Agreements allowing finished products to enter India at zero duty, ASMA emphasizes the imperative need for policy revision. The organization seeks government intervention to establish fair conditions for the domestic industry and leverage India's natural cost advantages in aluminum production.

(With inputs from agencies.)