India: Primary copper producers oppose common BIS standards for scrap-based FRHC rods

• Nearly 400,000 t copper rod trade remains outside quality norms
• Purity concerns intensify scrutiny of scrap-based copper rods

India’s leading primary copper producers, including Hindalco Industries, Vedanta, Hindustan Copper and Adani Enterprises, have opposed the proposed inclusion of scrap-based fire-refined high conductivity (FRHC) copper rods under existing Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) specifications, citing concerns over product purity, conductivity consistency and downstream electrical safety.

The development has widened the ongoing divide between integrated primary copper producers and secondary refiners operating in India’s copper rod market. FRHC copper rods are widely used in transformers, power cables, winding wires and other electrical applications requiring high conductivity standards.

Industry participants stated that scrap-based fire refining may not consistently achieve the 99.99% copper purity required for critical electrical-grade applications. Primary producers have raised concerns that higher impurity variations could impact conductivity performance, overheating resistance and long-term reliability across downstream electrical infrastructure.

Industry flags quality control, trade flow concerns

Primary copper producers have sought separate BIS classification and standards for scrap-based FRHC copper rods instead of their inclusion under existing norms applicable to electrolytic copper products. Market participants noted that several secondary refiners largely rely on scrap remelting and fire refining routes, potentially resulting in inconsistent quality across batches.

Meanwhile, secondary copper producers defended the fire-refining process, stating that the technology is globally accepted for manufacturing FRHC-grade copper rods used in cable and conductor applications. Recyclers also highlighted the growing importance of secondary copper in supporting domestic raw material availability and reducing import dependence.

India’s total copper rod demand was estimated at around 1.2 mnt in FY’25, including nearly 0.1 mnt of imports, while domestic FRHC copper rod production stood at around 0.4 mnt. Industry sources indicated that nearly 400,000 t of copper wire rod trade currently remains outside the quality control framework amid the ongoing standards-related dispute.

Market participants also highlighted that copper rod imports from the UAE have recently witnessed disruptions amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, tightening spot availability in the domestic market.

The dispute comes at a time when India’s copper consumption continues to rise sharply, driven by power transmission, renewable energy, electric vehicles and infrastructure sectors, increasing focus on quality compliance across the domestic copper value chain.