India’s manufacturing sector needs stronger quality standards that improve product quality while supporting scale, efficiency and global competitiveness. A recent analysis has highlighted the need to move forward with the reassessment of India’s Quality Control Orders (QCOs).

Quality Control Orders are intended to ensure that products meet prescribed standards. However, concerns have emerged over whether some requirements could increase compliance costs or create challenges for manufacturers and exporters.

The issue also came up during the World Trade Organization’s eighth Trade Policy Review of India, held in July 2026. According to the analysis, concerns over QCOs and other non-tariff barriers were raised by several trading partners, including the European Union, the United States, Brazil, China and Indonesia.

The reassessment of QCOs is therefore important as India seeks to expand manufacturing, integrate more closely with global value chains and strengthen its position in international markets.

The effectiveness of quality standards, the analysis noted, should be assessed by whether they improve quality without limiting the scale, efficiency and competitiveness of Indian manufacturing.