New Delhi: As India reels under pressure from the Trump administration’s tariffs, some industry representatives warn that quality control orders (QCOs)—meant to enhance quality of domestic product while restricting substandard imports—are increasingly being used as an instrument of “protectionism” rather than improving “quality”.

Speaking at a panel discussion on ‘ Decoding India’s Quality Control Orders’ , at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), on Tuesday, they also said QCOs have effectively become non-tariff barriers, adding another layer of compliance burden and cost on Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

Governed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and issued by the government, QCOs aim to improve the quality of domestic products while restricting the i

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