Call for Aggressive Tariffs on Indian Ceramic Tile Imports to Protect Tennessee Jobs

New Delhi, Dec 4 (KNN) In a strong push for economic fairness, Congressman John Rose (R-TN) has called for aggressive tariffs on ceramic tile imports from India, citing significant harm to Tennessee’s tile manufacturing industry.

His remarks, made Tuesday, accompanied a letter to outgoing Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, urging a re-evaluation of current trade policies.

“Tennessee jobs are at risk due to India's unfair and uncompetitive trade practices in the ceramic tile market,” Rose stated. “The Department of Commerce must deploy every tool to counter these nefarious practices and safeguard domestic manufacturing.”

The letter, co-signed by Rep. Tim Burchet (R-TN), highlighted the skyrocketing rise in Indian tile imports, from 344,000 square feet in 2013 to over 405 million square feet by 2023. Over the past two years, Indian tile imports increased by 42.6 per cent, comprising over 20 per cent of all U.S. tile imports.

In April 2024, American tile manufacturers formally raised concerns over India's alleged dumping practices and called for tariffs ranging from 408 per cent to 828 per cent.

Despite these alarms, Commerce’s preliminary countervailing duty determinations were criticised as insufficient, particularly regarding overlooked subsidies like natural gas and undisclosed affiliations of Indian producers.

“Tennessee’s manufacturers deserve a fair shake,” Rose added, calling Indian practices “underhanded.” The lawmakers emphasised that robust tariffs could emulate the success of duties imposed on Chinese tiles in 2020, which virtually eliminated their presence in the U.S. market.

Indian imports, meanwhile, have captured market share from countries like Italy, Spain, and Mexico, rising in value by USD 70 million between 2021 and 2023.

Advocates for higher tariffs argue this growth is detrimental to American industry, with domestic manufacturers losing ground against cheaper, subsidised imports.

The letter urged Commerce to address these issues thoroughly before issuing a final determination, advocating for strong duties to stabilise U.S. manufacturing.

“India has become the new dumping frontrunner and must face a decisive response to restore fairness in the market,” the lawmakers wrote.
With his party poised to assume power, Rose’s demand for decisive action underscores the growing focus on protecting U.S. industry from foreign competition.

(KNN Bureau)