India’s solar manufacturing boom is facing US trade headwinds after Washington finalised steep anti-dumping and countervailing duties on solar cell imports from India, Indonesia and Laos, PV Tech reported.

The combined duties reach up to 249.13%, dealing a blow to Indian makers that were counting on the American market. The move follows a US trade action that earlier rattled the sector, Reuters reported in February.

Indian firms have been building cell and module capacity to serve both domestic demand and exports. The duties make their shipments to the US far less competitive overnight.

Industry watchers say the finalised tariffs force Indian manufacturers to look harder at domestic and non-US markets, just as capacity is coming online. India’s solar cell capacity has expanded rapidly under domestic manufacturing incentives. The duties were finalised in mid-September, PV Tech reported.

What happens next: affected companies may challenge the duties or pivot capacity towards India’s own expanding solar rollout.