Ministry of Steel removes NOC requirement for non-QCO steel imports, simplifies procedures for industry
The Ministry said all non-QCO steel grades, across all HSN codes under its purview, have now been mapped on the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) portal.
New Delhi, November 21: In a move aimed at improving ease of doing business and easing compliance for importers, the Ministry of Steel has clarified that steel grades not covered under any Quality Control Order (QCO) will no longer require a clarification or No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry. The decision follows recommendations of the High-Level Committee on Non-Financial Regulatory Reforms (HLC-NFRR).
The Ministry said all non-QCO steel grades, across all HSN codes under its purview, have now been mapped on the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) portal. Importers can directly generate SIMS numbers for these grades without any reference to the Ministry, eliminating a key procedural bottleneck introduced through a circular issued in October 2023.
QCO-covered grades: existing BIS and exemption process unchanged
For steel grades covered under QCOs, the existing requirement remains unchanged — imports can only be sourced from manufacturers holding valid and active BIS licences for the relevant grades.
Where imports are proposed from units that do not possess BIS certification, the Ministry reiterated that the established exemption mechanism continues to remain operational. Applications will be reviewed by the Committee constituted under Order No. 1(9)/2019-TD dated 14 May 2020, comprising representatives from BIS, DGFT and domain experts. Importers may apply for exemptions through the SIMS portal.
Facilitating smoother import operations
Officials said the updated framework is designed to reduce administrative burden, improve predictability for industry stakeholders and streamline compliance. By removing the NOC requirement for non-QCO grades, the Ministry expects faster import cycles, reduced paperwork and lower transaction costs.
The Ministry reaffirmed that the regulatory architecture for QCO-covered products remains intact to ensure product safety and quality, while non-QCO imports will benefit from a significantly simplified process.
Importers can access the SIMS portal and exemption application facility at: https://sims.steel.gov.in/QCOEXEMPTIO
