The Indian government has imposed a mandatory quality control order (QCO) for stainless steel seamless pipes and tubes, according to a notification issued by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on Thursday, February 13.
The QCO will come into effect from August 1, 2025
Once the QCO comes into effect, no stainless steel seamless pipes and tubes can be produced, imported, sold, traded or stocked without a quality certification from the Bureau of India Standards (BIS) stating that the product complies with the specific standard for that product.
According to the notification, this order would not apply for 500 kilograms of these goods imported for the purpose of research and development by manufacturers of stainless steel pipes and tubes per year, with the condition that such imported goods and articles shall not be sold commercially and can be disposed of as scrap.
Violation of the QCO can attract imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of at least INR 200,000 for the first offence, as per the BIS Act.
In case of second and subsequent offences, the fine will increase to a minimum of INR 500,000 and extend up to 10 times the value of goods or articles.
