India's Five-Year QCO Easing: How the Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026 Changes Sourcing for Importers

India's expanding web of Quality Control Orders (QCOs) has become one of the biggest non-tariff hurdles for importers and manufacturers who rely on foreign inputs. A newer instrument from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) — the Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026 — tries to soften that hurdle for a set of key sectors, and it has come back into focus as trade bodies debate whether it eases imports or adds fresh complexity.

What Happened

DPIIT notified the Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026 under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016. It introduces an alternative, risk-based compliance pathway for products covered under 10 selected Quality Control Orders — reported to include toys, footwear, air conditioners, furniture, certain hardware such as hinges, and household electrical appliances.

Rather than requiring every covered product to go only through the conventional BIS Scheme-I certification route, the order allows eligible manufacturers — including those sourcing inputs from abroad — to use an alternative mechanism (reported as BIS Scheme-II registration), subject to approval by a DPIIT-led committee and to specified regulatory conditions. The framework is designed to run for five years unless extended, giving industry a defined transition window to align with Indian standards.

The measure has drawn renewed commentary in late September 2026, with analysts and trade bodies weighing whether it genuinely eases compliance or introduces a parallel, committee-driven approval layer.

Why / Background

QCOs make conformity to specified Indian Standards mandatory for both domestic and imported products; goods covered by a QCO cannot be sold in India without BIS certification, and foreign manufacturers ordinarily certify through the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS). As the number of QCOs has grown, importers and MSME manufacturers have complained about certification backlogs, input shortages, and the risk of production lines stalling when a compliant input cannot be sourced in time. The Transition Facilitation Order is the government's attempt to provide breathing room while keeping the underlying quality objective intact.

Who Benefits — and Who Should Be Cautious

Manufacturers and importers in the covered sectors — toys, footwear, air conditioners, furniture and household appliances among them — stand to gain the most flexibility in sourcing inputs during the transition. Companies with a proven compliance record are better placed to obtain approvals through the DPIIT-led committee route.

At the same time, trade bodies have flagged that a committee-approval mechanism can carry its own uncertainty on timelines and eligibility. Importers should not read the order as a blanket exemption: covered products still ultimately have to meet Indian quality standards, and the facilitation applies within specified conditions.

What Importers and Manufacturers Should Do Now

• Confirm whether your products fall within the 10 QCO categories the order covers before assuming any relief applies.
• Map your input and finished-goods sourcing to the alternative compliance route, and identify where the transition window buys you time versus where full certification is still required.
• If eligible, prepare the documentation to seek approval through the DPIIT-led committee, and build in lead time for that process.
• Foreign suppliers: check whether the alternative route changes what your Indian buyers need from you, versus the FMCS certification path.
• Track the five-year clock and any conditions attached to your approval, so relief does not lapse unnoticed.

The Bigger Picture

The order reflects a balancing act India is running across its standards regime: pushing quality upgrades and curbing substandard imports through QCOs, while trying not to choke MSMEs and import-dependent manufacturers during the ramp-up. Expect continued iteration — the reassessment debate now underway suggests the government is still calibrating scope, eligibility and process. Importers who engage early with the mechanism, rather than waiting for full clarity, will have the most room to manoeuvre.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the order remove BIS certification requirements? No. Covered products still have to meet Indian quality standards. The order provides an alternative, risk-based compliance route with committee approval, not a blanket exemption.

Which sectors are covered? Reported coverage spans 10 QCO categories including toys, footwear, air conditioners, furniture, hinges and household electrical appliances. Confirm your specific product against the notified list.

How long does the facilitation last? It is designed to run for five years unless extended by the government.

Do importers benefit directly? Yes, indirectly — because imported goods must also meet Indian quality control standards, the alternative route gives more flexibility in sourcing inputs during the transition, subject to conditions.

Conclusion

The Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026 is a meaningful, if conditional, easing of India's QCO burden for a defined set of sectors. It rewards firms with clean compliance records and forward planning. Importers and manufacturers in scope should verify eligibility and engage the DPIIT process early rather than treating it as automatic relief.

This article is for general guidance. Verify eligibility, covered products and conditions against DPIIT's Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order, 2026 and BIS guidance before relying on it.