**Summary:**
On July 11, 2025, the Ministry of Steel issued exemptions to the clarificatory Office Memorandum (O.M.) dated June 13, 2025, regarding Quality Control Orders (QCOs) on steel products. The June 13th O.M. clarified that intermediate steel products used in the manufacture of final products under BIS standards must also adhere to the BIS standards prescribed for those intermediate products. This clarification prompted stakeholder concerns regarding scope, implementation, compliance, and requests for exemptions.
Following a stakeholder consultation meeting on July 7, 2025, chaired by the Minister of Steel, it was decided to grant certain exemptions. Firstly, mandatory adherence to BIS standards for input steel used in imported steel products is exempted for shipments with a bill of lading having an "on board" date on or before July 15, 2025. Secondly, Integrated Steel Plants (ISPs) are exempted from mandatory adherence requirements for input steel used in their final products, subject to BIS verification of their licenses. As communicated via press brief on July 2nd 2025, ISPs with BIS licenses covering the entire manufacturing process do not require separate licenses for each stage.
In the interim period, ISPs can declare their status as an Integrated Steel Plant, along with a list of operative BIS licenses and relevant documents, to the Ministry of Steel via email at techsteelatnicdotin. Misdeclaration may lead to debarment in the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS). The Ministry of Steel will implement provisions in the SIMS portal to accommodate these ISPs. No new Quality Control Orders have been issued.
Key Entities Referenced
Delhi: Location where the press release was posted.
Ministry of Steel: The Indian government ministry issuing the clarification and exemptions regarding the Quality Control Order on Steel Products.
Quality Control Order on Steel Products: The order that is the subject of the Ministry of Steel's clarification and exemptions.
BIS Standards: Standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, which steel products must adhere to.
Honourable Minister of Steel: The chairperson of the stakeholder consultation meeting.
Integrated Steel Plants ISPs: Steel plants that produce both intermediate and finished products, and are subject to specific regulations and exemptions.
SIMS: An online portal related to steel import monitoring, where the Ministry of Steel will make provisions for ISPs.
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS): An agency that provides licences to Integrated Steel Plants (ISPs).
Ministry of Steel
Exemptions in respect of clarificatory O.M. of Ministry
of Steel regarding Quality Control Order on Steel
Products
Posted On: 11 JUL 2025 5:18PM by PIB Delhi
The O.M. of the Ministry of Steel dated 13th June 2025 has been issued to clarify that the intermediate
material for manufacturing of final products under BIS Standards, steel products will also have to follow BIS
Standards prescribed for such intermediate products. No new Quality Control Orders have been issued.
Subsequently, representations from stakeholders were received seeking clarity about scope, implementation
and compliance of the said order as well as for exemptions in certain cases. In light of this, a stakeholder
consultation meeting with user industries and producers was convened on 07.07.2025 under the
chairmanship of Honourable Minister of Steel, wherein following major observations were made:
The clarificatory O.M. was in principle supported by the stakeholders,
(cid:108)
However, it was requested that for the consignments already dispatched, relaxation may be given
(cid:108)
It is to be noted that vide press brief dated 02.07.2025, it has already been communicated that Integrated Steel
Plants (ISPs), which make intermediate products and finished products themselves and the BIS licence has
been issued to them taking into account the whole process, will not need to have different licences for all
stages as the BIS certification process takes care of the whole manufacturing chain.
In view of the above, an official order dated 11.07.2025 has been issued as per which the following
exemptions have been granted in respect of clarificatory O.M. dated 13.06.2025:
The mandatory adherence requirement of input steel for imports of steel products with Bill of
(cid:108)
lading having shipped on board date on or before 15.07.2025 shall be exempted.
The mandatory adherence requirement of input steel for the final products supplied by Integrated
(cid:108)
Steel Plants (ISPs) shall be exempted after verification of such licences by BIS. In the meantime,
such ISPs can send a communication to Ministry of Steel on email tech-steel[at]nic[dot]in , with
the declaration that they are Integrated Steel Plant along with the list of operative BIS licences and
relevant documents. Any misdeclaration may lead to debarment in SIMS. Ministry of Steel will
make appropriate provisions in the SIMS portal for such ISPs.
***
TPJ
(Release ID: 2144048)