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Quality Control Orders (QCOs) that restrict the import and sale of substandard items in the country have been extended to 732 products to align with international standards and boost exports, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday. QCOs are a key mechanism through which India is not only raising quality standards to enter the global value chain, but is also restricting imports from China. Imports from China have already crossed $60 billion during the first seven months of 2024, which is 10 per cent higher than the $55 billion recorded during the same period last year. Speaking at the annual symposium of the Indian Foundation of Quality Management, Goyal stated that, until 2014, there were only 14 QCOs covering 106 products. However, in the past 10 years, the government has issued 174 such orders, now covering 732 products. “Our export competitiveness is not going to come from subsidies or government support. It will not come from closing our doors to the rest of the world. If we are aiming for a self-reliant India, it can only happen when India is self-confident, and that confidence will only come when we all accept that quality is not just our responsibility, it is our duty,” the minister said. “We still have a lot of work to do in terms of getting industry aligned with these QCOs,” he added, noting that India was unable to become a partner in a pharma sector protocol as “every time we try to join that protocol, which has certain strict conditions attached to it, there is opposition from those (industries) who are looking for shortcuts.” Under the order, an item cannot be produced, sold, traded, imported, or stocked unless it bears the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) mark. Trade experts say that the BIS is selective when it comes to approving items, particularly from certain geographies. Notably, violations of the provisions of the BIS Act can attract imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of at least Rs 2 lakh for the first offence. In the case of second and subsequent offences, the fine will increase to a minimum of Rs 5 lakh and may extend to up to 10 times the value of the goods or articles. QCOs are issued in accordance with the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade. Goyal also remarked that manufacturing high-quality goods helps boost economic activity, generates jobs, and increases exports. None
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