Relevance: GS Paper III – Indian Economy (Trade, Industry Standards); Source: The Hindu, NITI Aayog Review
India has paused/withdrawn several Quality Control Orders (QCOs) after concerns that they increased costs—especially for MSMEs—without improving export competitiveness. Between 2016–2025, items under mandatory QCOs expanded from <70 to >450, affecting many intermediate goods.
QCOs & Their Impact
QCOs mandate compliance with BIS standards for import, manufacturing, and sale. While meant to raise quality, their rapid expansion triggered supply-chain bottlenecks in sectors dependent on global inputs (electronics, textiles, apparel).
Core Challenges & the Need for FDI–Trade Diversification (Merged Section)
Issue / Factor | Impact on Competitiveness |
| Compliance burden | BIS capacity constraints delayed certifications; MSMEs faced higher costs. |
| Distorted value chains | Higher cost of imported intermediates reduced export flexibility—especially in labour-intensive clusters. |
| Fragmented regulation | Multiple ministries issuing QCOs without a unified industrial strategy. |
| FDI inflows | Bring technology, quality standards, and global supply-chain linkages. |
| Trade diversification | Reduces dependency on high-cost sources; aligns with the China+1 strategy. |
| FTAs & market access | Improve access to raw materials and reduce input tariffs. |
| Human capital upgrading | Strengthens design, testing, and global quality compliance. |
Key Data: WTO: A 1% rise in trade liberalisation can increase per capita income by 0.5% in developing economies.
Way Forward
- Apply QCOs selectively, prioritising safety-critical products.
- Improve testing infrastructure and provide MSME certification support.
- Attract FDI in high-tech manufacturing (electronics, green technology).
- Strengthen global value chain (GVC) integration through FTAs and supply-chain partnerships.
UPSC Prelims Practice Question
Consider the following statements regarding Quality Control Orders (QCOs):
- QCOs apply to both imported and domestically manufactured goods.
- QCOs, if overused, can raise production costs for export sectors.
- QCOs are sufficient on their own to improve India’s export competitiveness.
Which of the statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only
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