# Goyal asks Japan to buy Indian steel, backs safeguard duty 2026-08-24T18:28:58+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Union Minister Piyush Goyal has urged Japanese companies to source steel from India, defending the government's decision to impose a safeguard duty on lower-grade steel imports. Speaking at an industry event, Goyal said India has taken a balanced approach by taxing only basic grades, while allowing higher-grade steel to be imported freely. Goyal's pitch comes amid growing concerns among domestic steelmakers about a surge in imports from East Asian countries. The safeguard duty, aimed at protecting local manufacturers, has drawn scrutiny from trading partners. The minister emphasised that the measure is calibrated to shield domestic industry without disrupting supply for high-end applications. ## Indian Opinion Analysis India is a net exporter of steel to Japan, but the trade dynamic shifts with cheaper Chinese steel routed through Southeast Asia. The safeguard duty, notified by the Directorate General of Trade Remedies, typically lasts two years with a review clause. Goyal's direct pitch to Japanese buyers signals the government wants to pre-empt any formal dispute at the WTO while keeping the duty in place. The next trigger to watch is the monthly import data from the steel ministry, which will show if the tariff is actually slowing inbound shipments of lower-grade steel. ## Coverage - ndtvprofit.com Straight news agency style reporting of Goyal's remarks without added commentary. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Japan, Piyush Goyal, steel Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/goyal-asks-japan-to-buy-indian-steel-backs-safeguard-duty/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/goyal-asks-japan-to-buy-indian-steel-backs-safeguard-duty/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/