India’s Ministry of Steel is expanding mandatory Quality Control Orders (QCOs) to include 1,000 additional steel grades to the current 1,376 grades, effectively bringing the entire steel industry under strict quality regulations.

This move is to strengthen domestic manufacturing, enhance quality, durability, and safety of infrastructure, and protect domestic producers from cheap, substandard imports, particularly from China, South Korea, and other countries in Southeast Asia.

Under the new rules, only BIS-certified steel can be traded, and those imports violating QCOs will face strict fiscal penalties. Although smaller steel manufacturers may face compliance challenges, the reform is expected to drive consumer confidence and save long-term costs, thereby creating a globally competitive steel industry for India.