Resumen de Rio intensifies protest over Indian boric acid import restrictions
In a letter seen by IM from Vijay Ayer, managing director of Rio Tinto India, sent in December to India's Secretary of Agriculture and Cooperation, Shri Siraj Hussein, Rio reiterated a request that the department remove the "discriminatory licencing regime" imposed by the Central Insecticide Board (CIB) on the import of boric acid.
In it, Rio pointed to the fact that boric acid is subject to a dual classification under India's Import Tariff Classification (ITC-HS). Under one section of the ITC, it is considered "freely importable", while under another it is defined as an insecticide and subject to various restrictions under the Insecticides Act 1968.
"Repealing the import restrictions will lower the cost of boric acid to Indian manufacturers, increase the competitiveness of a broad cross section of domestic industries and therefore, serves India's national interest," Ayer wrote.
