U.S. Trade Barriers on Imported Photovoltaic Products Escalate Again. On February 24, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce issued a preliminary determination, finding that crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules from India, Indonesia, and Laos received unfair subsidies, and will impose countervailing duties on these products. This represents another major expansion of U.S. photovoltaic trade remedy actions, following the previously imposed high "dual anti" tariffs on four Southeast Asian countries.

   Latest Ruling: Tax Rates Range from 80% to 143%   

   According to the preliminary determination results announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce, photovoltaic products from the three countries will be subject to varying countervailing duty rates:

⚠️ India: A uniform countervailing duty rate of 125.87% applies to all Indian exporters.

⚠️ Indonesia: Rates range between 85.99% and 143.3%. Among them, PT Blue Sky Solar Indonesia faces the highest rate of 143.3%, PT REC Solar Energy Indonesia is subject to 85.99%, while other exporters face a uniform rate of 104.38%.

⚠️ Laos: All exporters are subject to a uniform rate of 80.67%.

       This announcement represents a preliminary determination; actual collection will take effect following formal publication in the Federal Register. At that time, U.S. Customs will immediately require importers to deposit corresponding cash deposits.

       This action is not an isolated incident, but rather another link in the ongoing tightening of U.S. control over global photovoltaic supply chains. As early as 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce had issued final determinations on crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules from Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam, imposing high anti-dumping and countervailing duties (the "dual anti" duties). Some enterprises faced astonishingly high combined rates, with individual Cambodian enterprises facing maximum rates reaching 3,521.14%.

       Subsequently, the American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing and Trade, representing domestic small-scale manufacturers, continued to file petitions alleging that Chinese-affiliated photovoltaic enterprises had transferred production capacity from the aforementioned four countries to India, Indonesia, and Laos to circumvent existing high tariffs, creating new "circuitous" export pathways. The current investigation targeting India, Indonesia, and Laos is precisely a response to these allegations.

   Sudden Shifts in Trade Flows Behind the Data   

   U.S. Department of Commerce investigation data shows that exports of photovoltaic products from these three countries to the U.S. have experienced explosive growth in recent years:

• In 2025, India, Indonesia, and Laos collectively exported approximately $4.5 billion of solar products to the United States, accounting for roughly two-thirds of total U.S. solar imports that year.

• Among them, Laos's export growth has been particularly remarkable, surging from nearly zero in 2022 to $336 million in 2024.

• The market share of Indian solar products in the United States also rose from approximately 3% in 2024 to 11%.

       The U.S. Department of Commerce determined in its announcement that this export growth from the three countries benefited from unfair subsidies provided by their governments, including tax incentives, land support, and policy-based funding, resulting in products flooding the U.S. market at low prices and harming domestic industry interests.

       It should be noted that this announcement represents the preliminary ruling on the countervailing duty (CVD) portion. The overall case involves both anti-dumping (AD) and countervailing duty investigations. The preliminary determination on the anti-dumping portion has been delayed due to factors including a U.S. government shutdown, and is expected to be announced around April 2026. The Department of Commerce will issue its final determination later this year.

       Once the final ruling takes effect, combined with subsequently announced anti-dumping duty rates, photovoltaic product exports from the relevant countries to the U.S. will face even higher comprehensive tax burdens.

       From early direct exports from China, to routing through Southeast Asia, to now forming comprehensive containment of multiple Southeast Asian countries, U.S. trade barriers targeting the Chinese photovoltaic industry chain are forming a closed loop. For Chinese photovoltaic enterprises already deeply integrated into global supply chains, this means significantly compressed space for circuitous exports, necessitating a new round of adjustments to global production capacity layout and market strategies.