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India’s Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) has introduced important relaxations in quality control regulations for chemical imports, primarily impacting products from major exporters such as the United States and China. These changes aim to ease compliance burdens while maintaining safety and quality standards amid growing trade volumes and delays in certification processes.
Key Relaxations and Their Impact
• Extension of Implementation Deadlines: The mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification and Quality Control Orders (QCOs) deadlines for several critical chemical products, including polyvinyl chloride (PVC) homopolymers and polypropylene (PP) materials, have been extended multiple times. For instance, PVC import QCO enforcement was shifted to December 24, 2025, providing importers and foreign producers additional time to obtain required certifications.
• Facilitating Imports amid Certification Delays: Many key PVC producers in the US, China, Europe, and Southeast Asia are yet to receive BIS certification due to auditing delays. The extensions allow continued imports from these nations, preventing supply disruptions in India’s critical industries such as construction and packaging.
• Targeted Exemptions: The government has exempted certain low-risk polyethylene products and materials used for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing from QCOs to reduce regulatory burden while safeguarding consumer safety.
• Enhanced Compliance with Indian Standards: Despite easing timelines, imports must conform to BIS quality specifications and bear the Standard Mark once certified, ensuring product safety and quality in domestic markets.
• Support for Domestic Industry and Trade Balance: These regulatory adjustments strike a balance between promoting imports necessary for Indian manufacturing and protecting local industries by enforcing quality standards progressively.
Strategic Outlook
India’s phased relaxation reflects the complexities of aligning domestic regulatory frameworks with global trade realities. By accommodating international suppliers through extended timelines and strategic exemptions, India aims to secure chemical supply chains critical for sectors like infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods without compromising product integrity.
Sources: Argus Media, Indian Chemical Regulation
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