Recently, the Indian government announced the further lifting of quality control orders (QCO) for seven petrochemical products, including two aromatic products, aiming to continuously ease the operational burden on domestic manufacturers.

The notification issued by India′s Department of Chemicals and Fertilizers clarifies that import certification will no longer be required for seven chemicals: para-xylene (PX), toluene, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), dichloroethane, and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM).

QCO is an import certification requirement stipulated by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). In 2021, the Indian government introduced QCO for the aforementioned seven chemicals, mandating that manufacturers and importers of these chemicals must obtain BIS certification before selling their products in the Indian market. Notably, this marks the third time India has recently relaxed its chemical import certification requirements.

According to the Indian government, revoking the import certification requirements for these chemicals is expected to effectively boost domestic production, particularly by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The previously implemented Quality Control Order (QCO) was deemed to have impacted the competitiveness of India′s manufacturing sector, with a particularly pronounced effect on SMEs. On one hand, it constrained supply chain flexibility, and on the other hand, it drove up the costs of imported raw materials such as polymers, rubber, chemicals, fibers and metals.