New Delhi, May 6 (KNN) The Ministry of Steel has sought stakeholder suggestions on easing or removing mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification requirements for the fastener industry, amid concerns over rising compliance costs, supply disruptions, and pressure on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The move comes as manufacturers of bolts, nuts, screws, washers, rivets, and other fasteners have raised concerns that stringent Quality Control Orders (QCOs) are disrupting supply chains and increasing operational costs without significantly improving product quality.
The government is considering several relief measures, including exempting 202 foreign steel licences supplying specialised grades of fasteners where domestic manufacturing capacity remains limited.
Federation of Indian Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (FISME) has been recommending easing BIS norms and therefore welcomes the ministry’s decision.
More Time For MSMEs To Meet Certification Norms
Additional time for MSMEs to secure BIS certification and possible exemptions for smaller units are also under consideration.
A notification issued on November 20, 2025 had already deferred enforcement of BIS norms for certain steel products by one to three years to give industries more time to comply.
The government is also examining relief for Integrated Steel Plants facing dual certification requirements for raw materials and finished products. Fasteners manufactured exclusively for exports have already been exempted from mandatory certification.
Industry Flags Issues
Industry bodies have argued that the current ‘one-product-one-licence’ framework is unsuitable for the fastener sector, where a single machine often produces multiple variants based on size, grade, coating, and application.
Industry representatives have also warned that continued regulatory bottlenecks could impact sectors such as automobiles, infrastructure, electronics, and engineering, where fasteners, despite accounting for less than 1 percent of production costs, remain critical inputs.
The government is expected to review stakeholder feedback before deciding on further changes to BIS regulations for the sector.
(KNN Bureau)
