Bureaucratic interventions in the form of QCOs hurt Indian manufacturing

Steel is a case in point. The industry is naturally concerned about the impact of overcapacity in China, which might render Indian-made steel uncompetitive

The government has stated in recent years that India is taking a pragmatic approach to trade and economic integration. It has sought better utilisation of existing free-trade agreements and looked for new ones to sign. Partly this is because it recognises that, for manufacturing to grow, India must become part of global value chains. Yet, at the same time, it has introduced a new licence-permit system that traders in multiple sectors must deal with. The number of “quality control orders”, or QCOs, has multiplied. These restrict imports of goods unless various certifications are obtained, particularly from the Bureau of Indian