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India rescinds BIS mandates on PP, PE, PVC and other key polymersIndia’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has revoked the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Quality Control Orders (QCOs) covering a wide range of petrochemical products |
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India’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers has revoked the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Quality Control Orders (QCOs) covering a wide range of petrochemical products, signalling a significant policy shift in the government’s multi-year effort to regulate the quality of imported raw materials.
The decision, formalised in a 12 November notification under Section 16 of the BIS Act, 2016, follows consultation with BIS. The rescission takes immediate effect, though actions or omissions under the previous orders remain valid.
The withdrawn QCOs cover several upstream and downstream materials, including:
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No |
Description |
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1 |
Purified Terephthalic Acid (Pta) |
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2 |
Ethylene Glycol (EG) |
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3 |
Polyethylene (PE) |
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4 |
Polypropylene (PP) |
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5 |
Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) |
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6 |
Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), |
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7 |
Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) |
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8 |
Polyurethane (PU) |
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9 |
Polycarbonate (PC) |
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10 |
Partially Oriented Yarn (POY) |
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11 |
Fully Drawn Yarn (FDY) |
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12 |
Industrial Yarn (IDY) |
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13 |
Staple Fibres (PSF) |
The QCO initiative was first introduced in 2021 as part of a broader regulatory effort to impose uniform quality standards and curb the inflow of substandard materials into India’s chemicals and plastics market. While the mandate for PE and EVA came into effect on 5 January 2024 after nearly three years of preparation, the rollout for PP and PVC repeatedly faced delays due to operational challenges in aligning global producers with India’s certification framework.
Implementation deadlines for PP and PVC had already been postponed multiple times, most recently to 24 October and 24 December 2025, respectively. The revocation effectively cancels these deadlines, bringing the delayed mandate to an immediate halt.
Under the QCO framework, manufacturers were required to obtain BIS certification through a rigorous process involving in-person audits and approval of production facilities. Only certified suppliers could label their packaging with the BIS standard for shipments bound for India, while cargoes diverted to other markets needed additional clearance from customs authorities.
Industry participants said the revocation could ease import restrictions and improve raw material availability for domestic converters in the short term. At the same time, it raises questions about the government’s long-term approach to quality control under the “Make in India” framework, particularly for critical polymers like PP and PVC that had faced persistent compliance challenges.
Written by: Farid Muzaffar
Country
India
