This follows a 35 percent decline in November. In total steel imports came up to 0.94 million tonnes, an increase compared to the previous month, but a decline of 1.4 percent compared to the same month in 2014. This surge in imports defied protectionist measures, which included a hike in import and safeguard duties, put in place by the government since June 2015.

The seeming failures of the measures can be traced to China’s circumvention through lowered prices in tandem with the policies. In all, imports of total finished steel during the April- December period came up to 8.389 million tonnes, a 29.2 percent increase compared to the same timeframe during 2014.

The Indian government is looking to implement even more protectionist measures are expected to be carried out in the coming months, including a provisional safeguard duty of 20 percent on import of hot-rolled flat products of non-alloy and other alloy steel.