New Delhi, Jan. 5 -- 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. Nylon-6 chips are primarily used in textile applications, particularly in the manufacture of synthetic yarns and fabrics, though they also find use in light-duty automotive and electrical applications. The DGTR has noted that the imported product and the domestically-produced material are technically and commercially substitutable, with similar physical and chemical characteristics, manufacturing processes and end uses, allowing buyers to switch between them based largely on price. An industry executive, who wished not to be named, said that in the absence of corrective duties, domestic manufacturers face difficulty competing with imports that benefit from scale, state support or lower input costs in exporting countries. However, others caution that trade protection measures, if overused, can weaken export competitiveness in globally price-sensitive sectors. "In this global market era, merely protecting domestic industries can curtail a country's export prospects, as seen in India's man-made fibre (MMF) textile exports where prices became unviable in global markets," said Raja M. Shanmugam, former president of the Tiruppur Exporters' Association. "Instead of imposing anti-dumping duties, the focus should be on equipping manufacturers to become more cost-competitive," said Shanmugam. Minister of state for chemicals and fertilizers Anupriya Patel told the Lok Sabha in March 2025 that India's total production capacity of nylon-6 stands at 83,500 tonnes. In India, nylon-6 chips are manufactured primarily by Gujarat State Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd and Gujarat Polyfilms Pvt. Ltd. In addition, Chevy Polymers operates in recycled nylon-6 granules and plastic resins, while Kayavlon Impex is active as a supplier and trader of nylon chips. India imported 277,369.6 tonnes of nylon-6 in FY24 worth $613.81 million, and 335,242.2 tonnes in FY25 worth $730.61 million, per commerce ministry data, underlining the country's growing reliance on overseas suppliers for a key textile and industrial input. Imports from China grew much faster, increasing by over 33% from $297.56 million to $395.96 million, lifting China's share in India's total nylon-6 imports from around 49% in FY24 to more than 54% in FY25....