India Regulatory News

On February 2nd the department of agriculture and farmers welfare of India published a new guideline and regulation on insecticides. This regulation with code name S.O.701(E) is intended to prohibit a...

On February 2nd the department of agriculture and farmers welfare of India published a new guideline and regulation on insecticides. This regulation with code name S.O.701(E) is intended to prohibit and limit the use of certain insecticides. This regulation has been in debate for the past 7 years and will come into force after it is published in the official Gazette.  

Based on this regulation the following changes would come into force regarding the use of insecticides: 

1. Certain insecticides will be prohibited (table 1). 

2. Based on this regulation no individual or company is allowed to import, manufacturer, sell, and distribute the mentioned insecticides 

3. All certifications which are issued for the registration of the mentioned insecticides will be called back by the registration committee.  

4. For those individuals whose registration is void and have not complied to the act, action will be taken after 3 months. 

Table 1. The List of prohibited Insecticides are listed below: 

Furthermore, the department of agriculture and farmers welfare of India has also published a list (table 2) of crops which would be omitted from approved usage of insecticide’s label claim. Base on this law those registrants which have granted a certificate, shall submit their certified along with label and leaflet, in order to delete their label claims.  This information should be submitted to the Secretary, Central Insecticides Board and registration Committee, NH-IV, Faridabad, within six months from date of publication of this Order. 

Table 2 

In January 2023 the government of India formally approved theNational Green Hydrogen Mission, with a stated aim of making India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen.  The Mission wi...

In January 2023 the government of India formally approved theNational Green Hydrogen Mission, with a stated aim of making India a global hub for the production of green hydrogen. 

The Mission will result in the following likely outcomes by 2030: 

• Development of green hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 MMT (Million Metric Tonnes) per year with an associated renewable energy capacity addition of about 125 GW in the country 

• Over 100 billion US dollars in total investments 

• Creation of over 600.000 jobs 

• Cumulative reduction in fossil fuel imports over 12 billion US Dollars Abatement of nearly 50 MMT of annual greenhouse gas emissions 

This mission will have wide ranging benefits: 

• Creation of export opportunities for Green Hydrogen and its derivatives 

• Decarbonisation of industrial, mobility and energy sectors 

• Reduction in dependence on imported fossil fuels and feedstock 

• Development of indigenous manufacturing capabilities 

•  Creation of employment opportunities 

• Development of cutting-edge technologies 

All concerned Ministries, Departments, agencies, and institutions of the Central and State Governments will undertake focused and coordinated steps to ensure successful achievement of the Mission objectives.  The Ministry of New & Renewable Energy will be responsible for overall coordination and implementation of the Mission. 

The Centre's National Hydrogen Mission emphasizes on generating hydrogen from green power sources. It focuses on developing India as a global hub for the manufacturing of hydrogen and fuel cell technology across the value chain. 

In a press release issued in March 2022, the government said, "The mission would put forward specific strategy for the short term (four years), and broad strokes principles for long term (10 years and beyond)." 

The Central Government of India has extended the enforcement date for 10 substances under the Quality Control Order (QCO). The amended enforcement dates were published in the Indian Gazette on 2 Febru...

The Central Government of India has extended the enforcement date for 10 substances under the Quality Control Order (QCO). The amended enforcement dates were published in the Indian Gazette on 2 February 2023. The Quality Control Order is the regulation that requires concerned substances to carry the certification mark of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). The 10 substances and their initial and new enforcement dates are listed in the table below.

On 20 December 2022 the Indian Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) issued a notice for bringing 50 products under the 16 categories of mandatory quality control orders (QCO...

On 20 December 2022 the Indian Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) issued a notice for bringing 50 products under the 16 categories of mandatory quality control orders (QCOs) by the second quarter of 2023-24. 

According to the notice the QCOS comes into force next year and the items under this order need to be certified as compliant with the standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and cannot be produced, sold, traded, imported, or stocked unless they are marked by the BIS denoting the quality certification. 

In case of imported goods, the BIS states that orders applicable to domestically produced goods shall apply to imported products and they will be subjected to the same mandatory compliance. Thus, for these imported products, manufacturers in foreign country will be required to obtain a license from the BIS under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) of the standards organization. 

Any person who violates the provisions of the QCOs will be punishable with fine, imprisonment, or both under the BIS Act. 

The QCOs are: 

• Aluminium and Aluminium Alloy Products (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Bolts, Nuts and Fasteners (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Ceiling Fan Regulator (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Conduits and Fittings for Electrical Installation (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Copper Products (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Deepwell Handpumps and Components (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Drum and Tin (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Fire Extinguishers (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Hand Tools (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Hinges (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Household and similar Electrical Appliances (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Laboratory Glassware (Quality Control) Order 2023. 

• Solar DC Cable and Fire Survival Cable (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Steel Wires/Strands, Nylon/Wire Ropes and Wire Mesh (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Valves and Taps (Quality Control) Order 2023 

• Welding Wires, Rods and Electrodes (Quality Control) Order 2023. 

India’s Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) organized a stakeholder consultation meeting on 22 December 2022 to consider adding 58 chemicals to the BIS compulsory list. Since 2018,...

India’s Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) organized a stakeholder consultation meeting on 22 December 2022 to consider adding 58 chemicals to the BIS compulsory list.

Since 2018, 63 chemicals have been added to the BIS Scheme I or the compulsory list. Out of these 63 chemicals, 25 have been implemented. In 2023, 38 chemicals will be implemented according to various deadlines. Once the chemicals are included in the BIS list, manufacturers, traders, and importers will need BIS certification to be permitted to operate and they must carry the relevant BIS standards specification mark on the packaging and labels of their products.

The 58 chemicals that were discussed at the meeting are regulated under the Rotterdam Convention. Further information on the implementation date of mandatory quality control orders for these chemicals can be expected in 2023. Click here to see the list of 58 chemicals.

On 13 December 2022, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) organized a Stakeholders Consultation Meeting with industry associations and manufacturers of Chemical products in New Delhi. BIS Certif...

On 13 December 2022, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) organized a Stakeholders Consultation Meeting with industry associations and manufacturers of Chemical products in New Delhi.

BIS Certification is a national standard based on the Bureau of Indian Standards Act established in 2016.  The aims of the BIS Act include harmonious development of the activities of standardization, conformity assessment, and quality assurance of goods, articles, processes, systems, and services.

BIS Certification is required by every manufacturer (Indian or foreign) who is manufacturing products under Compulsory Certification. Currently, 63 chemicals require or will require BIS certification in the first half of 2023. 

In addition to the chemicals previously announced by the BIS, at this meeting, the BIS proposed a list with a total of 93 chemical products that are under consideration for compulsory certification. The list contains a wide range of products from respiratory protective devices, disinfectant fluid, ready mixed paint, cement paint, baby toilet soap, textiles (polyster textured yarns), shoe polish paste, and many others.

A list can be expected to be published after the stakeholders meeting. For further details on BIS compliance, see here or contact GPC at compliance@gpcregulatory.com 

In the upcoming year 2023, the Indian Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) is expected to commence workplace training in the use of international chemical safety cards (ICSCs). A non-bind...

In the upcoming year 2023, the Indian Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) is expected to commence workplace training in the use of international chemical safety cards (ICSCs). A non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) for the use of ICSCs was signed on 27 July 2022 between the DCPC and WHO’s International Labour Organization (ILO) during a seminar on the safe use of chemicals at the workplace. On the same day an information note about the cards was published on the DCPC website. 

The safety cards have been developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the ILO in collaboration with the European Commission.  They will be used to provide workers with concise safety, hazard and health information on chemicals used at the workplace.    

This training program will be carried out with assistance from the ILO, which includes the training  of trainers to ensure the initiative is sustainable for the long-term. The program will be delivered to the industrial workers at all levels. 

The training-language can be the barrier for some workplaces. Even though a full set of safety cards can be accessed in the English language, only some cards are available in two Indian languages-Hindi and Urdu. The translations into other languages will depend on the demand of the Ministry.  

The International Labour Organization will use the DCPC’s network of industry associations to educate workers at small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on chemical safety and health risks. It is the plan of the organization to run mock safety drills, conduct participatory risk assessments, and teach staff about the practical applications of the ICSCs.