steel import rules

India’s Steel Ministry gives four-month relief to importers struggling with BIS certification for steel shipments. The move aims to ease pressure on MSMEs and avoid disruption in in-transit imports.

The Ministry of Steel has postponed the implementation of its Quality Control Order (QCO) dated June 13, giving much-needed relief to steel importers across the country. The BIS certification mandate for imported finished steel products has now been deferred by four months, following growing concerns from smaller traders and MSMEs.

This decision, reported by LiveMint, comes after importers raised red flags about steel consignments already en route to India or contracted before the new rules kicked in. These shipments would have encountered clearance problems at Indian ports in the absence of this delay, which may have led to significant financial losses.

The QCO had made it mandatory for all incoming finished steel — and even raw material components — to be certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), a move intended to enhance quality checks and create a level playing field for Indian producers.

However, during a stakeholder meeting on July 7, the ministry acknowledged the industry’s concerns. It clarified that the certification rules will not apply to input materials used by overseas steel mills, softening the blow for global suppliers and domestic users alike.

The ministry said in a document examined by LiveMint that a “suitable timeline” is being contemplated in order to prevent any disruptions to steel shipments that are currently en route. The Steel Minister, Shri HD Kumaraswamy, also posted on social media that this is a clarificatory step to ensure fairness and quality across the sector.

Among those most impacted were micro, small, and medium-sized businesses (MSMEs), who mostly depend on imported steel. The Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) highlighted in a June 18 letter that nearly ₹150 crore worth of advance payments were at risk due to the sudden notification.

The delay also buys time for importers to navigate the lengthy BIS process, which typically includes a two-month inspection of foreign steel plants, followed by two more months to receive certification.

As per the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS), India processed 0.661 million tonnes of finished steel import applications in May 2025 alone. South Korea led with a 36.8% share, followed by China at 21.3%. The automobile and auto parts sector made up the bulk of these imports, accounting for 28%.

Kumaraswamy reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting quality standards and preventing substandard imports.He promised that in order to preserve India’s industrial might, future imports from integrated steel plants with BIS certification will be simplified and industry input would be taken into account.