India to introduce new regulations to improve steel quality

This step follows the BIS ordering quality control for various steel products and making it mandatory for importers to obtain prior quality approval for consignments intended for local sale.

Steel importers in India anticipate that steel imports, which have increased in recent months, may decline. Between April and August, India's iron and steel imports increased 59.45% y-o-y to 7.68 million tonnes from 4.82 million tonnes.

As per the existing policy, BIS certification is granted to eligible foreign steel mills. After receiving a consignment from a BIS certified producer, importers are subjected to government inspection at Indian ports before the products are released in the market. As the latest directive of the Centre government, a technical committee under the Steel Ministry will examine the products to approve steel imports coming into India which are not BIS compliant.