India issues quality orders on textiles to take on China

This initiative aims to curb the influx of cheap Chinese goods, and bolster India's standing in global manufacturing and supply chains through a concerted effort to enhance quality control measures.

The Centre aims to ensure product quality via QCOs in consultation with the industry and export promotion councils, and may also leverage it to encourage global players to establish manufacturing units in India. However, QCOs do not apply to export items.

The government has set a target to include more than 2,000 products under the QCO. Currently, products such as bedsheets, pillow covers, shoe covers, napkins, baby diapers, orchard protection covers, fencing nets, and insect nets are under the ambit of QCOs. 

Technical textiles comprise PPE kits and masks, while protective textiles include safety kits for firefighters and construction workers, while build-tech textiles include products utilized for slope stabilization, load-bearing, and various other construction-related applications.

The government has identified five key focus areas to strengthen India's textiles ecosystem. These include addressing skill gaps and infrastructure through initiatives such as PM MITRA parks, the production-linked incentive scheme, Technical Textiles Mission, Samarth and the National Handloom Development Programme.

“We have introduced QCOs with two main objectives. One, to improve the quality of products and, two, to curb substandard imports," one of the two people said. “The effort is to establish Indian textiles as a quality product."

“Technical textiles are primarily concerned with performance rather than aesthetics. In case of PPE kits, they must meet specific technical specifications such as viral protection standards and blood circulation requirements. This is why QCOs are necessary for these textiles," he added.

“The new QCOs under consideration are for protective, agro, and build-tech textiles, and they are expected to be introduced in the coming months. Consultations with stakeholders are in progress," the second person said.

Queries emailed to the textiles ministry did not elicit any response till press time.

According to the latest data from India's commerce ministry, textile exports totaled $30.96 billion during the April 2023-February 2024 period, down from $32.33 billion a year ago.

India is the world's third largest exporter of textiles and apparel with a 4.6% share of global trade, and ranks among the top five exporters in several textile categories. Exports are projected to reach $65 billion by FY26.

As India seeks to strengthen its position in global manufacturing and supply chains by enhancing quality control measures, it is simultaneously negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) with various countries. 

These agreements are expected to reduce import duties on manufactured goods, and guarding against the influx of substandard items into the country.

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) apply to both domestically manufactured products and imports. While some countries accept BIS-certified goods, adherence to QCOs may encourage more nations to recognize BIS-certified products, thereby bolstering India's export potential in the textiles sector.

Moreover, with the implementation of QCOs, manufacturers will be forced to adhere to the stringent regulations. Once a QCO is notified, firms cannot engage in any activity related to the products covered under QCOs without the ISI mark. Violations of the regulations can also result in severe penalties, including jail terms and fines.