A United States steelmaker has asked the Bush administration to restrict imports of the product from India, contending that the industry here was being 'seriously injured' as a result of increasing imports.

The Specialty Steel Industry of North America demanded that India be placed on a US list of 'temporary safeguards relief programme.'

"The imports of stainless steel long products from India have surged since March 5 last year when President George W Bush announced that it would be excluded from the programme," the company said in a statement on Friday.

It said Bush had promised that if imports from the excluded countries threatened to undermine safeguard measures, the programme would be modified to include them.

"The time has now come to include India in the programme," the company said.

SSINA chairman Paul A Kelly claimed that last year, Indian government representatives had informed the office of the US Trade Representative that they were aware of the surge in exports of stainless steel long products and promised to end it beginning this January.

But 'regrettably,' the Indian government and its steel producers have "not lived up to their promises," he said.

"Imports of Indian long products in January and February 2003 were triple the monthly average in 2001 and about 37 per cent greater than 2002, a year in which imports surged dramatically," Kelly said.

"Imports of stainless steel angle alone were up by 635 per cent over the 2001 monthly average. Ninety-nine per cent of all stainless steel angle imports in February were from

India," Kelly said.

He said the US domestic industry had been 'patient' for months since it first advised the US Trade Representative and department of commerce of its concerns on July 30, 2002, and again on September 30, November 19, 2002, and March 18, 2003.

"The US government should not accept such deceit by an important trading partner. Indian stainless steel long products should be brought under the safeguard program immediately," Kelly added.

Under the safeguard action provided in the 1974 Trade Act, the US government can grant temporary relief to a domestic industry seriously injured by increased imports for an initial period of four years with possibility of extending for a maximum period of eight years.

The government can increase tariffs, put quantitative restrictions or take other measures.