India Set to Tighten Curbs on Chinese Paper Imports

India is set to tighten controls on substandard paper product imports, particularly from China, with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in the process of introducing a new Quality Control Order (QCO) for a wide range of commonly used paper products,

- Dhirendra Kumar

NEW DELHI: said two people directly involved in the process.

This mandatory quality certification will be applicable to writing and printing paper, coated paper, and boards used for packaging by the consumer products industry.

This comes in the backdrop of supply concerns following China's move to halt exports of rare earth magnets, a key component of electric vehicles, to India and other countries.

Once the QCO comes into force, import consignments will be subject to BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) certification requirements, leading to delays in customs clearance and higher compliance costs for foreign suppliers. India sources a substantial amount of coated and uncoated paper from China, Indonesia, and South Korea.