India: Steel Ministry Brings Nearly 85-90% of Steel Products Under Quality Control

In order to ensure 100% quality regime in steel sector, Ministry of Steel has issued two Quality Control orders on 20 Jun’18. The orders are named as Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2018 and Stainless Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2018.

16 more steel products have been bought under the scope of quality control. In effect, these orders now cover 52 carbon steel and 3 stainless steel products, which have direct bearing on human health and are critical to safety and security of infrastructure, housing, engineering application and public at large.

By implementing these orders, around 85-90% of steel and steel products consumed in the country would be covered under Quality Control Orders (QCO).

Link to Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2018

Link to Stainless Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2018

Indian steel ministry makes BIS standards mandatory for all steel products and imports for all domestically manufactured iron and steel to promote long term growth of domestic steel sector and prevent industry from cheaper imports from other countries.

In terms of the above notification, the notified steel items cannot be produced, sold, traded, imported and stocked unless they bear BIS Mark. Domestic manufacturers of these items have to obtain BIS certification mark licences. Foreign suppliers willing to supply these items to India will have to obtain BIS registration.

Government of India is concerned about reasonably large production and import of inferior quality of steel getting delivered to important end use segments such as power distribution, human health and safety of infrastructure and construction.

Qty in MT
Provisional data
Source: Customs

Qty in MT
Provisional data
Source: Customs