Trade policy think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) has urged the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to issue detailed operational guidelines for the government’s newly notified quality certification mechanism, saying the success of the reform will depend on transparent implementation and time-bound approvals, reported PTI.The recommendations come days after the DPIIT notified the Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026, creating an alternative compliance pathway under selected 10 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) covering products such as toys, footwear, furniture, air conditioners, compressors, personal protective equipment, hinges, domestic electrical appliances and household electrical safety products.
Call for transparent, time-bound approvals
GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said DPIIT should issue detailed guidelines covering eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, evaluation methodology and timelines for companies seeking approvals under the new framework.“DPIIT should issue detailed operational guidelines specifying the eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, evaluation methodology and timelines for processing applications,” Srivastava told PTI, adding that decisions should be based on transparent and measurable parameters to ensure consistency and reduce uncertainty for industry.He also suggested that the committee adopt a fully digital application and tracking system with defined service-level timelines, preferably deciding applications within 60-90 days.“A mechanism for appeal or review of rejected applications would further enhance confidence in the system,” Srivastava said.
Alternative route to BIS certification
Applications under the new mechanism will be examined by an Implementation Committee chaired by DPIIT, with representatives from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), Department of Commerce, Department of Consumer Affairs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and other ministries.The reform seeks to address longstanding concerns over delays in obtaining mandatory BIS certification, which industries have said has made compliance under Quality Control Orders increasingly difficult.However, GTRI pointed out that only companies incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 are eligible to apply under the new mechanism.According to the think tank, this means only foreign manufacturers with an Indian representative company registered under the Companies Act can use the scheme, which may discourage many overseas firms.
‘QCO Plus’ may replace one bottleneck with another
Srivastava said the new mechanism could replace one regulatory hurdle with another if implementation is not simplified.“The reform is expected to reduce one of the biggest operational problems facing India’s QCO regime by easing dependence on BIS factory inspections. But critics are likely to argue that it merely replaces one regulatory hurdle with another,” he said.Instead of waiting for BIS factory inspections, manufacturers would now need approval from an inter-ministerial committee exercising broad discretionary powers, he added.Because the committee’s assessment extends beyond technical conformity to issues such as localisation, supply-chain development and industrial policy, the new framework effectively transforms India’s quality control regime into a “QCO Plus” system, Srivastava said.GTRI also recommended that DPIIT periodically publish anonymised data on applications received, approvals granted, average processing time and reasons for rejection to improve transparency.
Implementation will determine success
Another expert said the effectiveness of the reform would ultimately depend on the implementation framework.“Whether the Order ultimately simplifies India’s quality compliance regime or merely replaces mandatory factory inspections with an equally demanding administrative screening process will likely depend on how DPIIT structures the forthcoming implementation guidelines and how efficiently the inter-ministerial committee processes applications,” Shaunak Rungta, Director at Jaipur-based Vardhan Group, said.“The introduction of a committee-based approval process linked to localisation and investment commitments suggests that market access under the new regime may remain as much a matter of industrial policy as of technical conformity,” he added.
