India Withdraws QCOs On Key Industrial Chemicals

The government has withdrawn Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for acetic acid, methanol and aniline, according to a notification issued on July 23.

These chemicals are vital inputs for industries such as pharmaceuticals, textiles, dyes, paints, adhesives and agrochemicals. The QCOs, introduced in 2019, had mandated Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for marketing the chemicals in India, a regulation widely seen as costly and cumbersome, particularly for SMEs reliant on imports.

India imports significant volumes of acetic acid and aniline from China and the U.S., while methanol is sourced mainly from Gulf nations. Industry bodies have welcomed the regulatory relief.

“This decision provides much-needed breathing space for SMEs grappling with certification costs and supply disruptions,” said Vinod Kumar, President of the India SME Forum.

The withdrawal eases a non-tariff barrier even as India plans to expand quality control to over 1,500 products by 2025–26, reflecting the government’s balancing act between enforcing quality and promoting ease of doing business.