The department determined that Vietnamese exporters or producers have received subsidies at certain rates, which are much lower than India’s.

It found that most Vietnamese producers or exporters received a preliminary net subsidy rate of 8.06 percent compared to India’s 289.95 percent rate. Vietnam’s SeAH Steel Vina Corp. was given a rate of 0.01 percent.

This preliminary determination is based on investigations undertaken by the US Department of Commerce.

The US International Trade Commission is expected to continue its investigation into the case until August 2012, while the US Department of Commerce will do the same work until September 2012, before both agencies make their final determinations on certain steel pipe imports from Vietnam and India.

US companies hold that welded carbon-quality steel pipes with an outside diameter of no more than 16 inches imported from some countries are being offered at unusual prices thanks to subsidies, which they argue has resulted in market share and job losses since 2008.

A total of 40 exporters of steel pipe to the US are being sued.