The US Department of Commerce has postponed making a final decision in the countervailing duty (CVD) investigation into crystalline silicon photovoltaic (CSPV) cells and modules imported from India, according to filings in the US Federal Register. This is because Mundra Solar Energy Ltd. and Mundra Solar PV Ltd., which are owned by Adani Enterprises, requested additional time.
The final determination, originally expected in early July, has now been deferred until September 10, 2026. The Commerce Department has also extended the application of provisional measures from four months to six months, allowing the temporary duties to remain in force until the investigation concludes.
According to a Federal Register filing dated May 20, the two mandatory respondents in the investigation submitted their request on April 22.
“On April 22, 2026, Mundra Solar Energy Limited and Mundra Solar PV Limited (collectively, Mundra Solar), two mandatory respondents in this investigation, requested that Commerce postpone the deadline for the final determination until no later than 135 days from the publication of the Preliminary Determination, and extend the application of the provisional measures from a four-month period to a period of not more than six months,” as per the filing, without specifying the reasons behind the request for additional time.
The extension means the preliminary duties imposed by the US Commerce Department will remain effective until the final decision is announced in September, extending uncertainty for Indian solar exporters covered under the investigation.
The investigation was launched in July 2025 after the Alliance for American Solar Manufacturing and Trade, which includes Hanwha Qcells, First Solar and Mission Solar, filed a petition alleging that subsidised imports from India were harming domestic solar manufacturers in the United States.
In August 2025, the US International Trade Commission determined that imports of crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules from India, Laos and Indonesia had caused material injury to the US industry. The finding cleared the way for both anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations.
In its preliminary determination issued on February 20, 2026, the US Department of Commerce imposed a countervailing duty of 125.87% on Mundra Solar Energy Ltd and Mundra Solar PV Ltd. The same rate was also assigned as the “all others” subsidy rate for other Indian manufacturers exporting CSPV cells and modules to the US.
The government stated that the two companies’ alleged lack of cooperation throughout the inquiry was a contributing factor in its initial conclusions. The World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) was found to be incompatible with subsidies offered under India’s export-linked programs, such as the Advance Authorisation Programme (AAP) and the Duty-Free Import Authorisation (DFIA) scheme.
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