Govt grants exemption to certain steel imports from QCOs

The government has granted certain steel imports, such as square tins for ghee, edible oils, steel tubes for structural purposes, and stainless steel utensils, an exemption from quality control orders (QCOs).

The exemption is granted for products shipped on or before October 31st.

According to the notification, “In view of various representations and pursuant to a decision taken by the authority, the ITC HS Codes as mentioned … are exempted in respect of mandatory compliance of QCO issued by the Government of India.”


Earlier this year, the steel ministry mandated that input material for imported steel products, whether finished or semi-finished, comply with Indian standards framed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the country’s quality watchdog.

The move brings relief to industry users of these products who relied on its imports.