Parliament Question: Import of Standard Quality Chemicals

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICALS & PETROCHEMICALS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 952 ANSWERED ON 24/07/2026 IMPORT OF STANDARD QUALITY CHEMICALS 952. SHRI RAJA RAM SINGH: SHRI SRIBHARAT MATHUKUMILLI: Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state: (a) the details of most imported Chemicals & Petrochemicals by value and volume during the last three years, year-wise; (b) the measures undertaken to ensure that imported Chemicals & Petrochemicals meet Indian and global health and environmental standards; (c) whether the Government is aware that imported Chinese PVC Resin contains Residual Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) upto ten ppm, far exceeding WHO, US and EU limits, posing carcinogenic risks, if so, the details thereof; (d) whether any study has been undertaken regarding its possible impact on public health, so, the findings thereof; (e) whether the Government had issued a Quality Control Order (QCO) on PVC Resin issued in February 2024 and subsequently repealed before its implementation in November 2025, if so, the reasons therefor and factors considered while taking the said decision; and (f) the measures being taken to reduce dependence on imported PVC Resin and ensure the safety of PVC used in drinking water supply and public health? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)(a) The top ten Chemical and Petrochemical products with high imports are given below: FY FY FY FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025 2023 - 2024 - 2025 - S. HS Code Commodity -24 - 25 - 26 24 25 26 No. Import Volume in Kilo Import value in Rs Crore tonnes (KT) 1 28092010 Phosphoric Acid 18132.33 17,899.82 23,666.45 2263.26 2116.24 2155.96 39041020 Suspension 2 Grade PVC Resin 15616.55 17,951.40 14,399.05 2262.48 2670.17 2380.69 29173600 Terephthalic 3 Acid And Its Salts 10944.77 13,501.00 12,985.41 1623.24 2093.44 2211.71 4 39021000 Polypropylene 10586.43 9,738.52 12,098.11 1245.47 1075.73 1421.08 5 29025000 Styrene 9315.86 11,104.63 9,990.17 1064.75 1136.77 1208.84 29051100 Saturated 6 Methanol 7425.41 7,754.38 9,586.09 3066.22 2995.89 3577.74 28141000 Anhydrous 7 Ammonia 7620.26 8,754.00 9,564.03 2175.80 2535.80 2504.91 39012000 Polyethylene (Specific 8 Gravity 0.94 /More) 16379.72 9,711.88 8,277.47 1871.85 1145.73 1001.88 29339990 Other Heterocyclic Compounds 9 With Nitrogen Hetero Atom (S) Only 22603.97 6,910.63 6,876.11 24.38 24.60 27.84 10 29024300 P-Xylene 7624.54 7,965.41 6,375.66 844.94 964.81 821.31 (Source: Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics) (b) & (f) The Government has notified several rules and regulations to ensure that imported chemicals and petrochemicals meet prescribed standards, namely: Manufacture, Storage, Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rule, 1979 administered by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change;  Plastic Waste Management Regulations and its various amendments administered by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change;  Food Safety and Standards (Packaging) Regulation, 2018 administered by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India.  Quality Control Order under which specified Chemicals & Petrochemicals must comply with applicable standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards. The Department has implemented the following schemes to boost domestic production in the chemical and petrochemical industry and reduce dependence on imports: (i) Petroleum, Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Regions (PCPIRs): The Government of India has notified the PCPIR Policy to attract investment and generate employment in the petroleum, chemical, and petrochemical sectors. PCPIRs promote these sectors in an integrated and environmentally friendly manner on a large scale. They are conceptualized using a cluster-based approach with common infrastructure and support services to create a competitive environment conducive to business development. At present, PCPIRs have been notified in Andhra Pradesh (Visakhapatnam), Gujarat (Dahej), and Odisha (Paradeep) to promote investment and industrial growth in these sectors. (ii) Skill Development – Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering and Technology (CIPET): CIPET conducts regular long-term diploma and degree programmes with a strong emphasis on practical training in plastics engineering and technology, aiming to develop a skilled workforce for the sector. (iii) Centres of Excellence (CoEs): To promote research and development in the chemicals and petrochemicals sector, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals implement a scheme for setting up Centres of Excellence. Under this scheme, grant-in-aid is provided to selected research institutes to improve existing technologies and develop new applications. The focus is on modernization, upgradation of manufacturing processes, and enhancement of product quality. (c) The Department has recently received a communication alleging that imported Chinese PVC resin contains Residual Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) up to 10 ppm; however, no verifiable evidence has been provided to indicate that RVCM levels in PVC pipes exceed prescribed limits. The matter is under examination. (d) The Department has not undertaken any study regarding Residual Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) content in the imported PVC and its impact on public health.(e) The PVC Homopolymer Quality Control Order was notified with a future (deferred) implementation date to mandate compliance with Bureau of Indian Standards; however, before its implementation, it was rescinded in November 2025, based on recommendations of the NITI Aayog High-Level Committee, to enhance competitiveness of the downstream industry. *****