NEW DELHI : India has initiated an anti-dumping probe into imports of nylon-6 chips and granules—raw plastic materials—from China and Russia, after domestic manufacturers alleged that cheap imports are hurting local industry, the Commerce Ministry said on Saturday.

The probe, launched by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) under the ministry of commerce and industry, comes amid persistent concerns over price suppression and market distortion in the synthetic raw materials segment.

The investigation has been triggered by an application filed by Surat-based Gujarat Polyfilms Pvt. Ltd. As per the company’s website, Gujarat Polyfilms Pvt. Ltd lists its production capacity for nylon-6 chips, including engineering and textile grades, at around 1,200 tonnes per year.

The company has alleged that imports of nylon-6 chips and granules with relative viscosity below three from China and Russia have increased sharply in recent years, both in absolute terms and relative to domestic consumption, leading to a decline in prices, suppressed margins and adverse impact on profitability, as per the ministry’s notification.