 "BIS exemption granted to 202 foreign manufacturers: Steel Ministry")
A total of 202 BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) licences are now exempted in the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) portal from the mandatory input-steel requirement for final products supplied by Integrated Steel Plants (ISPs), according to an official release by the Ministry of Steel.
In its August 8 statement, the steel ministry said these licences were exempted based on declarations submitted by the concerned parties.
The ministry further added that these exemptions are an ongoing process, and more licences may be exempted as requests are received.
72 foreign manufacturers exempted
The exemption covers a total of 72 foreign manufacturers from 16 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Austria, Germany, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Russia, and the US. With over 80 licences, Japan leads the list.
Of the total, 43 exemptions were for Japan's Nippon Steel Corporation. Japan was followed by South Korea with more than 50 licences.
The move offers short-term relief to the industry, enabling foreign manufacturers to keep supplying steel to Indian ISPs without taking on extra compliance requirements under the SIMS framework.
Quality control norms
In an official release on June 13, the steel ministry said the manufacturers must use only those steel input materials that meet specific BIS specifications when producing certain finished steel products. The move was aimed at ensuring that the final product aligns with quality standards.
The exemptions will facilitate the smooth flow of steel imports, particularly for ISPs and foreign manufacturers supplying steel to India.