India’s ministry of steel has granted temporary exemptions from mandatory quality control orders (QCOs) for certain stainless steel flat products following representations received from medium, small, micro enterprises (MSMEs) facing supply constraints, according to a government notification on Wednesday, April 29.
The exemption will apply to imports with a ‘shipped on board’ date on or before October 26, 2026, providing interim relief to industries dependent on imported inputs, the notification said.
The exemptions cover stainless steel products falling under the following Indian Standards (IS): IS 6911 for stainless steel plates, sheets and strips; IS 5522 for stainless steel sheets and strips for utensils; IS 15997 for low nickel austenitic stainless-steel products for utensils and kitchen appliances and IS 14650 for intermediate stainless steel flat products.
The move comes after multiple representations from micro, small and medium enterprises highlighting difficulties in sourcing compliant raw materials amid global supply disruptions.
Industry stakeholders said the exemptions will ensure uninterrupted availability of raw materials, ease production bottlenecks and support cost competitiveness for downstream manufacturers.
Under mandatory quality control orders, products not compliant with certification of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) shall not be manufactured, imported, stored, trade or sold within the country.
