India’s Ministry of Steel has delayed the enforcement of its Quality Control Order (QCO) on finished steel imports by four months, following concerns raised by smaller importers over shipments already in transit and pre-contracted orders.
The QCO, originally introduced in August 2024, required all imported finished steel products to carry Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification. A recent extension of the order also aimed to include raw materials used in steel production.
However, after consultations with industry stakeholders, the ministry agreed to temporarily ease the rules. Importers will now be allowed to bring in steel without BIS certification, and the revised order will not apply to input materials used by overseas steel mills.
The decision reflects the government’s acknowledgment of logistical challenges and the lengthy BIS certification process, which importers say can take several months.
According to Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) data, 661,000 tons of finished steel were marked for import in May 2025 through 23,797 applications. South Korea accounted for the largest share at 36.8pct, followed by China at 21.3pct. The automotive sector was the largest importer, representing 28pct of the total.
