China killing India's manufacturing sector: L&T Chief

Private sector engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has said that China is systematically killing Indian manufacturing sector and sought 25 per cent anti-dumping duty on Chinese goods.

"China has a fixed currency. It is not a market economy like ours. China is systematically killing the Indian manufacturing sector," A M Naik, who was here for foundation stone laying ceremony of a forgings unit at Hazira told reporters here yesterday.

"There are taxes on goods manufactured locally, but none on imported products (from China). This is an unfair situation for Indian goods. This is why there should be 25 per cent anti-dumping duty on Chinese products," Naik said.

Speaking specifically about power equipment sector, in which L&T is a major player, Naik said: "The Indian power companies, especially those in the private sector, have placed huge orders for power plant equipment with China. We can say that Chinese power sector is virtually working for India."

"It is not good that 80 per cent of our dependence for power plant equipment is on one country, and that too China," he said, adding that China should not be allowed to grow at the cost of Indian companies.

"The day China opens its economy, its prices are bound to go up by 25 per cent," he said.

"But unfortunately we are not taking any steps to stop it," Naik further said.