Copper Products QCO Amendment 2026: Import Relief Extended for Copper Tubes Used in AC & Refrigeration Manufacturing

Published Date: 01 July 2026

1. What Just Changed
2. Background: The Copper Products QCO
3. What This Amendment Actually Does
4. Why It Matters for AC & Refrigeration Manufacturers
5. What Manufacturers Should Do Now
6. How Absolute Veritas Can Help
7. Frequently Asked Questions

Copper Products QCO Amendment Order 2026 – Absolute Veritas

What Just Changed

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, has notified a fresh amendment to the Copper Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 — S.O. 3503(E), dated 30 June 2026. The change extends a targeted import exemption for manufacturers bringing in inner grooved copper tubes used in air conditioning and refrigeration equipment.

If you manufacture AC or refrigeration components in India and rely on imported copper tube stock, this update directly affects your sourcing runway.

Also Read: BIS QCO for Wrought Copper Tubes for Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning

Background: The Copper Products QCO

The original Copper Products (Quality Control) Order was notified on 25 April 2024 (S.O. 1801(E)), bringing several copper products, including inner grooved copper tubes, under mandatory BIS certification. Like most QCOs, its goal is to keep substandard imports out and push domestic manufacturing toward certified quality standards.

This is not the first change to the order either — it was amended once already on 19 February 2025 (S.O. 884(E)). The 30 June 2026 notification is the second amendment.

Also Read: BIS CRS Certification – Complete Guide

What This Amendment Actually Does

The amendment replaces the third proviso to Paragraph 2 of the principal order. In effect, it extends a carve-out for manufacturers importing raw copper tube stock specifically to build AC and refrigeration equipment, sub-assemblies, or components in India.

Provision	Details
Product Covered	Inner Grooved Copper Tubes under IS 10773:2025, meant for air conditioner and refrigeration equipment.
Exemption Window	From the date this amendment is published in the Gazette, up to 30 November 2026.
Volume Cap	Import quantities under this exemption cannot exceed 50% of the average quantity imported during FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26.
Record-Keeping	Manufacturers using this exemption must maintain month-wise import records and submit them on company letterhead, signed by an authorised signatory, to the concerned government authorities.

To be clear, BIS is not waiving certification altogether. This is a capped, time-bound runway to keep sourcing uncertified tubes while certification and supply chains catch up, not an open-ended pass.

Why It Matters for AC & Refrigeration Manufacturers

Inner grooved copper tubes are a core input for evaporator and condenser coils. Enforcing the QCO without any cushion could have disrupted production for OEMs and component makers who have not yet switched import sources or locked in BIS-certified supply. This amendment shows the government is aware of that pressure and is offering calibrated relief rather than leaving the deadline as-is.

That said, the relief comes with real conditions attached. The 50% cap means accurate historical import data for FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26 needs to be on hand, and the record-keeping requirement is not a suggestion; it is a condition of qualifying for the exemption at all.

Also Read: BIS License Renewal & Validity Guide 2026

What Manufacturers Should Do Now

Work out your baseline. Pull FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26 import volumes for inner grooved copper tubes under IS 10773:2025 — this sets the exemption ceiling.
Start month-wise tracking immediately. Do not wait until closer to November to reconstruct records; log imported quantities as they happen.
Get the submission format ready. Records need to go out on company letterhead, signed by an authorised signatory — have the template and signing authority sorted in advance.
Plan the certification transition now. The exemption ends 30 November 2026. Use this window to secure BIS licensing for IS 10773:2025-compliant tubes, or shift to certified domestic or import sources, rather than treating the relief as indefinite.
Keep an eye on further amendments. This is the second change to the 2024 order in just over a year. The government is clearly willing to adjust timelines and thresholds as ground conditions shift, so staying on top of Gazette notifications matters.

How Absolute Veritas Can Help

Navigating BIS Quality Control Orders, from certification applications to exemption compliance and audit-ready documentation, gets complicated fast, especially with shifting deadlines and volume caps like this one.

Absolute Veritas helps manufacturers and importers:

Interpret regulatory changes like this amendment and assess how they apply to specific product lines
Set up compliant, month-wise record-keeping systems for exemption-linked imports
Manage BIS certification timelines so the exemption window does not become a compliance gap
Prepare audit-ready documentation for BIS market surveillance checks

Connect with our compliance team to assess exactly how the Copper Products (Quality Control) Amendment Order, 2026 affects your import and manufacturing operations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What does the Copper Products QCO Amendment Order, 2026 change?

It extends a capped, time-bound import exemption for manufacturers bringing in inner grooved copper tubes under IS 10773:2025 for use in AC and refrigeration equipment manufacturing, valid until 30 November 2026.

How much can be imported under this exemption?

Import volumes cannot exceed 50% of the average quantity imported during FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26.

Does this amendment remove the BIS certification requirement for copper tubes?

No. It provides a capped, time-bound sourcing exemption while certification and supply chains catch up. It does not waive the underlying BIS certification requirement under the Copper Products QCO.

What records must manufacturers maintain to use this exemption?

Manufacturers must maintain month-wise records of imported quantities and submit them on company letterhead, signed by an authorised signatory, to the concerned Central Government authorities.

How can Absolute Veritas help with this amendment?

Absolute Veritas helps manufacturers assess how the amendment applies to their imports, set up compliant record-keeping systems, and manage BIS certification timelines so the exemption window does not turn into a compliance gap.

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