14 quality norms scrapped; textile sector poised to gain

THE GOVERNMENT HAS withdrawn Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for 14 petrochemical products that are used as inputs in a wide array of sectors from textiles to high performance plastics.

- MUKESH JAGOTA

The scrapping of the QCOs will come as a relief for the user industries, as it would have access to wider sources for these products. The QCOs, which apply equally to domestic manufacturing and imports, would have limited the number of suppliers of these products.

Under the QCOs the suppliers of products covered by the order have to get their manufacturing facilities and output certified before they can sell in India. This involves costs and time. Many overseas suppliers drop out of the process, limiting the number of suppliers for Indian industry. The number of QCOs has surged from fewer than 70 in 2016 to nearly 790 by 2025, most introduced in the past five years.