The Indian government has extended by six months the deadline to implement the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) quality requirements for imports of specific monomers, polymers, and copolymers. The move provides a breather for foreign resin suppliers and domestic plastic manufacturers. Maleic anhydride, acrylonitrile, vinyl acetate monomer, and styrene are among the raw materials granted the six-month extension. A similar relaxation was also granted for several polymers, including polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) as well as ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer.
In April, the BIS announced that producers, traders, distributors, and users of various chemicals are obliged to comply with its quality standards. Those market participants had until October 26, 2021, to complete the entire process. However, they requested a relaxation, citing potential negative impacts on the competitiveness of India’s finished product exports. They also argued that the BIS lacked skilled manpower and technical resources to supervise and enforce the implementation of the quality standards on plants of foreign suppliers.
