New Delhi, 18 March (H.S.): The Ministry of Steel will hold an open‑house consultation on 23 March 2026 at the Steel Room, 3rd Floor, GPOA‑3, Netaji Nagar, New Delhi, to discuss issues arising from steel imports. The meeting, scheduled from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, is aimed at hearing industry concerns on procedures such as the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS), SARAL‑SIMS and Quality Control Order (QCO) exemptions, and to refine the regulatory framework for steel inflows.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Ministry invited companies and industry associations to present their problems related to steel imports at this session.
The Ministry has made it clear that walk‑in entries will not be allowed due to logistical constraints and that only one nominated representative per organisation will be permitted to ensure broad representation.
Stakeholders are advised to provide specific information in their emails, including: the name of the company or association, the sector and product type (such as automotive, aerospace, telecommunication, defence, etc.), whether the issue is related to SIMS/SARAL‑SIMS/QCO exemptions, and, if applicable, the reference number of the SIMS/SARAL‑SIMS/QCO‑exemption application.
A brief problem summary of up to 50 words, the name and designation of the participant (third‑party representation will not be accepted), and contact details (mobile number and email) should also be included.
The Ministry said the steel‑import monitoring and exemption regime has been tightened to protect domestic producers while ensuring that industries with genuine import needs—such as manufacturers of critical inputs for defence, aerospace and infrastructure—can continue to access necessary grades of steel.
The 23 March open‑house is intended to fine‑tune these arrangements and address practical bottlenecks faced by importers, including delays and documentation issues under essentially the SIMS/SARAL‑SIMS and QCO systems.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
