Linear Alkyl Benzene Gets BIS QCO Relaxation Till December 2026

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Dated: 30.09.2026

Linear Alkyl Benzene Gets BIS QCO Relaxation Till December 2026

In a significant regulatory relief for manufacturers, importers and downstream industries dealing in Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB), the Central Government has temporarily suspended the requirement of conformity to the applicable Indian Standard under the Linear Alkyl Benzene (Quality Control) Order, 2022.

Through S.O. 5343(E), dated 29 September 2026, the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has amended the 2022 Quality Control Order (QCO) to provide that conformity to the relevant Indian Standard shall not apply for the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2026.

The Government has expressly linked this temporary measure to global exigencies, disruption in supply chains and the need to ensure availability of Linear Alkyl Benzene.

Background: Linear Alkyl Benzene Quality Control Order, 2022

The Central Government originally notified the Linear Alkyl Benzene (Quality Control) Order, 2022 through S.O. 1648(E) dated 5 April 2022, exercising powers under Section 16 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
The Gazette notification further records that the 2022 QCO had most recently been amended through S.O. 3456(E) dated 25 June 2026.
QCOs issued under the BIS framework make conformity with the prescribed Indian Standard mandatory for products falling within their scope, subject to the precise terms, exemptions and effective dates contained in the relevant order.
The latest notification introduces a temporary suspension of that conformity requirement for LAB.

Why Has the Government Granted the Relaxation?

The notification gives a specific reason for the intervention.
The Central Government states that, considering “exigencies prevailing globally,” it has, in consultation with the Bureau of Indian Standards, taken cognizance of supply-chain disruption.
The Government concluded that temporary suspension of the QCO’s operation was necessary and expedient to ensure availability of Linear Alkyl Benzene.
This makes the measure essentially a supply-chain continuity intervention, rather than a permanent withdrawal of the QCO framework.

What Has Actually Changed?

The Government has substituted the proviso to Paragraph 2 of the Linear Alkyl Benzene (Quality Control) Order, 2022.
The substituted proviso provides, in substance, that to prevent disruption in the supply chain of the covered goods and articles, conformity to the applicable Indian Standard will not apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2026.

Accordingly:

Particular	Position under S.O. 5343(E)
Product	Linear Alkyl Benzene (LAB)
Governing QCO	Linear Alkyl Benzene (Quality Control) Order, 2022
Original notification	S.O. 1648(E), dated 5 April 2022
Latest amendment	S.O. 5343(E), dated 29 September 2026
Relaxation	Conformity to the applicable Indian Standard not applicable during the specified period
Relaxation begins	1 April 2026
Relaxation ends	31 December 2026
Stated reason	Prevention of supply-chain disruption and ensuring availability of LAB
Statutory authority	Sections 16 and 25(3) of the BIS Act, 2016

Statutory Basis of the Amendment

The amendment has been issued by the Central Government in exercise of powers under:

Section 16 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, read with
Section 25(3) of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.
The notification also records that the Central Government acted after consultation with the Bureau of Indian Standards and considered the amendment necessary in the public interest.
This statutory basis is important because the original Linear Alkyl Benzene QCO itself was notified under the powers conferred by Section 16 of the BIS Act.

What Does This Mean for Importers?

The amendment is particularly relevant from a trade-compliance perspective.
For the specified relaxation period, 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2026, the notification states that conformity to the applicable Indian Standard shall not apply to the goods and articles covered by the LAB QCO.
Therefore, businesses importing Linear Alkyl Benzene should carefully consider the amended QCO while assessing BIS/QCO compliance for consignments falling within this period.
However, the notification should not be interpreted as a permanent abolition of the QCO. It provides a time-bound suspension linked to the specified period.
Importers should also separately verify all other applicable requirements relating to Customs classification, import policy, documentation, valuation, hazardous chemical requirements or any other allied law, as applicable. The Gazette notification itself addresses the BIS/QCO conformity requirement and does not state that unrelated regulatory obligations are waived.

What Does It Mean for Domestic Manufacturers?

Domestic manufacturers of Linear Alkyl Benzene are also directly affected because the amendment is framed in terms of conformity to the relevant Indian Standard for the covered goods and articles, rather than being expressed solely as an import-specific exemption.
Accordingly, businesses should avoid treating the notification merely as an “import exemption.” The wording of the Gazette amendment concerns the operation of the QCO itself during the specified period.

An Important Date Issue: Notification Issued on 29 September, Relief Runs From 1 April 2026

A particularly significant feature is the chronology.
The amendment was issued on 29 September 2026, but the substituted proviso specifies a non-applicability period beginning from 1 April 2026 and continuing through 31 December 2026.
Businesses examining consignments, compliance actions or transactions occurring between April and September 2026 should therefore pay close attention to the precise language of this amendment and the previous versions of the QCO.
The Gazette itself expressly specifies the period 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2026; any consequences for a particular past consignment or enforcement action would need to be examined against its individual facts and the regulatory position applicable to that transaction.

Compliance Position After 31 December 2026

The present notification provides relief only up to 31 December 2026. It does not state that the Linear Alkyl Benzene QCO has been permanently withdrawn.
Therefore, unless the Government issues a further amendment, extension, superseding order or other regulatory measure, businesses should prepare their compliance planning on the basis that the present relaxation is time-bound.
Importers, foreign manufacturers, domestic producers and downstream users should therefore monitor further notifications from the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals and BIS before planning shipments or production extending beyond the relaxation period.

Significance for the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry

The notification demonstrates the Government’s use of the QCO framework to balance two regulatory objectives: maintaining product-standardisation requirements while responding to practical constraints affecting the availability and supply of critical industrial inputs.
The Government expressly acknowledges global exigencies and supply-chain disruption as the basis for temporarily suspending the conformity requirement.
For industries dependent upon LAB, the amendment provides a defined regulatory window up to 31 December 2026, potentially easing immediate BIS-related supply constraints while the underlying QCO remains part of the regulatory framework.

Key Takeaway

S.O. 5343(E) dated 29 September 2026 temporarily suspends the Indian Standard conformity requirement under the Linear Alkyl Benzene (Quality Control) Order, 2022 for the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 December 2026.

The Government has expressly cited global exigencies and supply-chain disruption and the need to ensure availability of Linear Alkyl Benzene as the reasons for the measure. The amendment has been issued under Section 16 read with Section 25(3) of the BIS Act, 2016, after consultation with BIS.

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Source: Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers

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