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Key Points

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized that Quality Control Orders (QCOs) have strengthened Indian manufacturers' global competitiveness. Industry stakeholders raised concerns about implementation timelines and testing infrastructure. The government is considering extending deadlines and expanding lab facilities to ease compliance. A collaborative approach aims to ensure 'Made in India' stands for safety and quality worldwide.

Key Points: Piyush Goyal Says QCOs Boost Indian Manufacturers in Global Markets

  • QCOs improve product quality and market access
  • Industry seeks phased rollout and extended timelines
  • Govt considers more testing labs for compliance
  • Stakeholders propose aligning domestic capacities with global supply chains
3 min read

Quality Control Orders helped Indian manufacturers access global markets: Piyush Goyal

Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal highlights how Quality Control Orders enhance product standards and expand global market access for Indian manufacturers.

"The Ministry remains firmly committed to a consultative and collaborative approach in implementing QCOs. – Jitin Prasada"

New Delhi, May 16

Every Quality Control Orders (QCO) introduced so far has eventually earned the support of the sectors because they have not only improved product quality but also helped Indian manufacturers access larger markets, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

The government is committed to building a system that ensures consumer safety and industry competitiveness, stated Minister Piyush Goyal, while emphasising on the importance of implementation of QCO for electrical appliances at the Stakeholder Meet convened by DPIIT in New Delhi this week.

The meet discussed the issues being faced by the industry in the implementation of Horizontal QCO on "Safety of household, commercial and Similar Electrical Appliances" notified by DPIIT on September 20, 2024.

The industry presented their concerns and highlighted issues faced by them.

According to a statement from the commerce ministry, industry overwhelmingly supported the intent behind QCOs to ensure only high-quality products to be manufactured and sold in India.

However, they requested for notifying QCOs on finished goods first followed by QCOs on components and raw materials, considering the complexity of global supply chains.

They also recommended mapping domestic manufacturing capacities and available technologies to align compliance timelines. A phased rollout was also proposed.

Major concerns raised by the Industry inter alia included the following- ambiguity as regards to coverage of DC Supplied Appliances and Battery-Operated appliances; non-availability of product manuals and test labs all 85 appliances included in the illustrative list; lack of certification by domestic manufacturers as well as foreign manufacturers; insufficient time available for getting the BIS certification for domestic as well as foreign manufacturers; addressing the issue of legacy stock and non-acceptance of non-BIS marked products on e-commerce platform.

During the meeting, the commerce minister acknowledged concerns raised by the industry and agreed to consider the request to extend the implementation timeline of the QCO, as well as the issue of legacy stock.

He requested industry to come up with the proposal for setting up more testing facilities with modern technology in public funded labs, labs in public sector enterprises and labs in State Government institution etc. so that that robust and accessible testing infrastructure will be made available for the industry pan India.

Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry mentioned that "the Ministry remains firmly committed to a consultative and collaborative approach in implementing QCOs. Together, let us ensure that 'Made in India' globally stands for safety, quality, and trust."

DPIIT is working towards ensuring sectoral readiness for the QCO and identifying gaps in testing infrastructure to ensure a smooth rollout. DPIIT is closely working with BIS to streamline the testing and certification ecosystem, making it more accessible, efficient, and affordable, particularly for MSMEs.

The meeting witnessed the proactive participation of representatives from leading Industry players and Industry Associations like CII, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, CEAMA, RAMA, ICEA, IFMA, SMTA as well as Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS).

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh K.
This is a welcome move! Quality standards will help Indian products compete globally. But the government must ensure testing labs are accessible to small manufacturers too. The phased approach makes sense 👍
P
Priya M.
As a consumer, I fully support strict quality norms. We've suffered long enough with substandard electrical goods in the market. But implementation must be practical - can't expect small shops to dispose all existing stock overnight.
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Amit S.
Good initiative but execution is key. We need more testing centers across India, especially in tier 2/3 cities. Also, certification costs shouldn't become a burden for MSMEs. Hope the government provides subsidies for small businesses.
S
Sunita R.
Finally! This will stop cheap Chinese imports flooding our markets. But the 6-month timeline seems too ambitious. Most manufacturers need at least 12-18 months to adapt. Hope the extension is granted 🤞
V
Vikram J.
While the intent is good, I'm concerned about bureaucratic hurdles. BIS certification process is notoriously slow. Unless they streamline it, this could become another license raj situation hurting domestic manufacturers more than helping.
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Neha P.
Appreciate the government-industry collaboration shown here. The phased approach for components makes perfect sense in today's global supply chains. Hope this boosts 'Make in India' while keeping consumer safety first 🔌

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