Lok Sabha Question No. 5017 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-01
Subject: Import and Sale of Substandard Goods
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Mansukhbhai Dhanjibhai Vasava

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5017 ANSWERED ON 01/04/2025

## IMPORT AND SALE OF SUBSTANDARD GOODS

## 5017.  SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मं त्री ) be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  of  import  and  sale  of  substandard  goods  in  Indian markets;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the steps taken by the Government to check such import and sale?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद)

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

(a) & (b) In  the  current  F.Y.  2024-2025  (upto  February,  2025),  a  total  of  206  cases  against import of substandard goods violating IPR, BIS and FSSAI norms, valued at Rs.206.62 crore, have been booked by Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Customs field formations under Customs Act, 1962.

(c) i.  Directorate  of  Revenue  Intelligence  and  Customs  field  formations  under  CBIC  keep constant  vigil  to  check  import  of  substandard  goods  into  India.  On  the  detection  of  such  cases, action  is  taken  in  accordance  with  Customs  Act,  1962  &  other  Allied  Acts.  Further,  the  Indian Customs  Risk  Management  System  (RMS)  implements  the  policies  of  risk-based  selective examination and testing based on the selectivity criteria of the respective regulatory agency, thereby thwarting the attempts of import of substandard goods.

ii.  Further,  Section  25  of  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act,  2006  and  Food  Safety  and Standards (Import) Regulations,  2017  regulates  the  import  of  food  articles  into  the  country.  The clearance  or  No  Objection  Certificate(NOC)  issued  by  the  FSSAI  is  subject  to  scrutiny  of documents,  visual  inspection,  sampling  and  testing,  in  order  to  determine  whether  or  not  they conform to the safety and quality standards.

iii.  In  addition to the above, with a view to protect its domestic producers and consumers, India has an elaborate and robust legal framework and institutional set up to protect environment, life and health of its people, plants and animals. Adequate provisions exist under the Foreign Trade

Policy to  protect  the  Indian  consumers  and  producers  as  imported  goods  are  subject  to  domestic laws, rules, orders, regulations, technical specifications, environmental and safety norms. The BIS standards applicable to domestic goods are also applicable to imported goods. Besides, imports of plant  &  plant-based  products  are  subject  to  Plant  Quarantine  measures  and  sanitary  &  phytosanitary  measures,  imports  of  animal  &  animal-based  products  are  subject  to  sanitary  import permits and imports of food/edible items are subject to FSSAl standards.

iv. Against cheaper imports causing injury to domestic industry, the Directorate General of Trade  Remedies  (DGTR),  an  attached  office  of  Department  of  Commerce,  conducts  various investigations (anti-dumping/safeguard (quantitative restrictions)/ countervailing) under the Customs Tariff Act, 1975 and the rules made thereunder on the basis of duly substantiated petition filed by the domestic industry. The Authority at DGTR examines applications filed by the domestic industry and evaluates responses received from importers, exporters and other interested parties in accordance with the provisions of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. Based on this examination, the DGTR submits its recommendations to the Ministry of Finance for final consideration.

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