Indian glove makers urge govt to implement Quality Control Order

Hyderabad: Indian glove manufacturers are calling for the prompt implementation of the Medical and Surgical Gloves (Quality Control) Order (QCO), which has now been in the public domain for 60 days following its submission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) under the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Agreement.

The QCO, introduced by the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, mandates Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for all medical and surgical gloves both imported and domestically manufactured.

While the industry welcomed and appreciated the government's decisive step toward protecting public health and supporting the domestic glove manufacturing sector, stakeholders are increasingly concerned over delays in enforcement.

“The 60-day WTO consultation period, which allows member countries and stakeholders to provide feedback, has now concluded. However, in the absence of formal notification, incidents of regulatory violations and illegal dumping of substandard gloves have continued to rise,” said Indian Rubber Glove Manufacturers Association (IRGMA), Secretary, Manmohan Gulati.

The QCO is poised to address a major loophole exploited through the import of illegal, substandard gloves by mandating strict compliance with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and ISI certification on all gloves, both imported and domestically manufactured.

Industry estimates that the new QCO will directly impact the average annual import of Rs 450–500 crore worth of such illegal products, thereby ensuring only safe, certified gloves enter the Indian market.

The industry, while supportive of the regulation, is keenly awaiting the final notification and enforcement mechanism. The Indian Glove manufacturing industry urges for a timely implementation of the QCO to protect public health from the risks posed by poor-quality medical gloves.

“The formal implementation of the QCO will be a breakthrough for domestic manufacturers which have been struggling to compete against the influx of low quality, non-compliant gloves. With the notification of QCO, manufacturing, storing and sale of non-BIS certified gloves will be prohibited. The timely implementation of the QCO is critical not only to curb the influx of low-quality imports but also to strengthen India's Make in India initiative by ensuring fair competition and promoting high-quality domestic production,” said, Enliva – Wadi Surgicals Managing Director K Anindith Reddy.