[Ferro-Alloys.com]：Last week India’s aluminium industry called upon New Delhi to cut basic customs duties on aluminium fluoride and other raw materials necessary for aluminium production, as such duties make it all but impossible for domestic producers to compete in the global marketplace.

In comments regarding the proposed Union Budget for the next fiscal year, the Aluminium Association of India (AAI) asked the government to cut by 5 percent the basic customs duty on aluminium fluoride, caustic soda lye, and green anode/pre-baked carbon anode, dropping the duty to 2.5 percent.

In addition, the AAI said an increase on import duties for HS Code 7602 aluminium scrap to 10 percent would encourage increased domestic recycling. At present the import duty on aluminium scrap is 2.5 percent. Imported aluminium scrap poses a very real threat to Indian aluminium smelters, as it accounts for 58 percent of all imported aluminium, yielding a forex outgo of ?17,200 crore in the most recent fiscal year.

• [Editor:tianyawei]