The Indian capital goods industry represented by the Process Plant and Machinery Association of India (PPMAI) has applied to India’s Ministry of Steel seeking immediate exemptions from import duties for stainless steel products not included under the mandatory product quality control order, an association official said on Tuesday, April 25.
The PPMAI official said that the government has listed products under the mandatory product quality control order monitored by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), but there are at least 40 other high grade stainless steel products which are not mentioned under the quality order.
Large consignments of such high grade stainless steel products have landed at Indian ports, but customs are not releasing such consignments as these products do not find mention in the quality control order, though they adhere to all international specifications and quality standards.
In the absence of specific exemption notification from the government for such products, capital goods importers have to incur huge losses from consignments stuck at ports, the official said.
Despite repeated reminders to various government agencies, exemption notifications have not been forthcoming for high grade stainless steel products adhering to international standards even though the government issued similar exemption notices for several grades of finished steel products that do not adhere to international standards, the PPMAI official added.