Singapore: The Indian Government has said that it would continue to levy import duties on Chinese analgesic API paracetamol.

In the midst of growing complaints from Indian API makers about cheap APIs coming into the country from China, the Indian government said that it would continue the 'anti-dumping' charge against the Chinese paracetamol.

A report in India's business daily, The Economic Times said that the Central Board of Excise and Customs has renewed a charge of $787 per metric ton on paracetamol for the next five years. The duty that became effective in the year 2001. Nonetheless, the imports of this API that is used in a number of over-the-counter products has seen a constant rise since then.

The report cited a review by the Directorate General of Anti-dumping Duty that found the imports of this API rising nearly 70 percent from 2008 through March 31 this year, despite the duty.

"Should the present anti-dumping duties be revoked, dumping of the subject goods may in all likelihood intensify, causing further injury to the domestic industry," it said.