High import duties raise India’s aluminium costs, threatening manufacturing goals and harming MSMEs.

Rising input costs, driven by high import duties, are threatening India’s manufacturing goals, particularly in aluminium, where domestic prices exceed global levels, harming competitiveness. A CUTS International study warns that current tariffs hurt 3,500 aluminium-based MSMEs and undermine efforts to meet projected demand of 8.3 million tonnes by 2030. The report calls for rationalizing import duties to lower costs, boost downstream industries, create jobs, and enable higher-value exports, framing reform as essential for national industrial strategy.