India’s steel ministry has exempted 202 foreign steel licences from the mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) quality certification under the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) portal to address supply bottlenecks for domestic producers.

According to an order issued on 8 August, the exemptions apply to manufacturers from 17 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, France, and the US. Japan tops the list with over 80 licences, followed by South Korea with more than 50. These countries supply high-grade steel used in automotive, engineering, and specialised industrial sectors.

The decision follows an 11 July directive allowing exemptions based on company self-declarations, subject to BIS verification. The ministry said the move will ensure uninterrupted availability of quality inputs, particularly for integrated steel plants, and that additional licences may be exempted upon request. Industry groups have noted that BIS certification rules can delay imports of steel grades not produced domestically, making such exemptions important for balancing quality control with industrial needs.