NBA releases over Rs.24 Lakh as Benefit Sharing to Farmers, Research Institutions (See 'Corp Brief') GeM launches 10-Day Celebrations Ahead of 10th Foundation Day (See 'Corp Brief') Geological Survey of India gets First Woman Director General (See 'Corp Brief') National Advisory Board calls for integrated management for climate-resilient agriculture (See 'Corp Brief') Arbitration - Where arbitration proceedings are meant for resolving civil & contractual disputes, they cannot be invoked to resolve penal offences under the Negotiable Instruments Act: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Centre of Excellence to advance Indigenous Telecom R&D (See 'Corp Brief') 102 Route Km Wadi-Raichur Section to be upgraded with 2×25 kV Electric Traction System (See 'Corp Brief') A & C Act - Private contractual confidentiality clause cannot override statutory or legal obligation to disclose documents directed by court of law: HC (See 'Legal Desk') CERT-In conducts 10 Cyber Security Exercises on AI-Driven Cyber Threats (See 'Corp Brief') Sonowal urges 'Faster Execution', calls for 'Speed & Scale' to meet 2030 maritime targets (See 'Corp Brief') NDPS - While mere non-compliance with procedural mandates of Sec 52A of NDPS Act is not automatically fatal to prosecution, it necessitates heightened scrutiny test of remaining evidence: HC (See 'Legal Desk') India Mobile Congress 2026 - scaling without boundaries forms goal (See 'Corp Brief') MoRD and PCI India ink MoU to bolster women-led enterprises through public procurement (See 'Corp Brief') 5.56 lakh recruitments done since 2014, Including 50,485 in Southern Railway: Vaishnaw (See 'Corp Brief') Trade Mark - Interim injunction allowed where plaintiff successfully satisfies triple test by a strong prima facie case, imbalance of convenience & irreparable injury: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Corporate Mitra Scheme Awareness Webinar organized by IICA Shillong (See 'Corp Brief') Assam Exports First International Consignment of Purabi Ice Cream to Bhutan (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - If plaintiff demonstrates prior adoption, statutory registrations, commercial reputation, and prima facie deceptive similarity between rival marks used for identical goods through common trade channels, ex parte injunction may be granted: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Common Service Centres increase from 83,950 to 5,01,731 (See 'Corp Brief') RM calls for tech-driven preventive healthcare to enhance combat readiness (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Once claim is consciously and formally withdrawn by party, arbitrator completely loses jurisdiction to adjudicate upon it: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Railways approves Rs 163 Crore Electric Traction Upgradation in South Central Railway (See 'Corp Brief') Govt promotes indigenous Potash Production and Alternative Nutrient Sources (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Personal guarantee expressly drafted as a continuing and irrevocable guarantee does not stand discharged merely because the guarantor resigns as director of the corporate debtor: NCLAT (See 'Legal Desk') CCI approves amalgamation of Go Digit Infoworks with Go Digit General Insurance (See 'Corp Brief') CCI okays acquisition of units of Oaktree capital group by Brookfield Asset Management (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - If IRP is allowed to perform only limited functions during period when CIRP is under substantial judicial restriction, IRP is not automatically entitled to full professional fees at minimum monthly rate: NCLAT (See 'Legal Desk') Amritsar becomes second spoke airport under India's International Aviation Hub Strategy (See 'Corp Brief') RRBs post Highest-Ever Net Profit of Rs. 10,177 Crore in FY 2025-26 (See 'Corp Brief') PMLA - Retention or continued freezing of a person's property cannot be permitted solely or primarily on ground that investigation is ongoing: SAFEMA TRIBUNAL (See 'Legal Desk') NHAI Successfully defends Major Arbitration Case to Safeguard Public Funds (See 'Corp Brief') Companies Act - Coal beneficiation cannot per se be excluded from ambit of manufacturing process to justify quashing of criminal complaint at preliminary stage: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Digital India BHASHINI conducts Multilingual AI Workshop for Haryana Vidhan Sabha (See 'Corp Brief') MISC - RBI, possessing superior expertise in financial administration over cooperative authorities, has independent power to supersede board of a cooperative bank under the Banking Regulation Act - Principles of natural justice do not apply to Section 36AAA of Banking Regulation Act 1949: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Youth Unrest & CJP Agitation: Key Learnings (See CORP EINSICHT) IPR - Patent offices cannot rely on mere hypotheses or hindsight to dismiss technical advancement: HC (See 'Legal Desk') 'Corporate Mitra Scheme' Awareness Webinar Successfully Organized by IICA Shillong (See 'Corp Brief') Rajya Sabha organises Orientation Programme for newly elected Members (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Service of insolvency petition on corporate debtor's registered email address available in MCA records constitutes valid service, if accompanied by attempts at service at registered office and publication in accordance with NCLT Rules: NCLAT (See 'Legal Desk') Coast Guard rescues 170 Persons in Flood Relief Operations across Daman, Dadra & Nagar Haveli (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Prior or parallel proceedings under SARFAESI and before DRT do not bar Section 95 insolvency application: NCLT (See 'Legal Desk') Public Advisory: Beware of Fraudulent Air Suvidha 2.0 Websites (See 'Corp Brief') IBC - Liquidation application allowed where corporate debtor is not a going concern, has prima facie nil asset value & where requirements of Section 33 of IBC 2016 are met: NCLT (See 'Legal Desk')

Copper Quality Control Order: A step towards Atma Nirbharta

Published: Dec 07, 2024

By TIOLCorplaws News Service

NEW DELHI, DEC 07, 2024: TO strengthen the quality control eco-system for non-ferrous metals sector (including Copper) in the country, the Ministry of Mines notified the Copper (Quality Control) Order on 31 st August, 2023, along with Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for Aluminium and Aluminium Alloys and Nickel. Initially the QCOs including Copper QCO were to come into force after three months from the date of its notification i.e. 30.11.2023.

Thereafter, basis the requests received from industry stakeholders including user sector industry and taking into account the supply situation, this order was extended vide notification dated 3 rd November, 2023 by six months (i.e.1.6.2024) and subsequently, by another six months vide notification dated 3 rd May, 2024 i.e. 1.12.2024. The Ministry has held several interactions with concerned stakeholders on regular basis through series of meeting(s) with industry bodies and user sector industries during the month of October, 2023; January, 2024; May, 2024; September, 2024; and October, 2024. Secretary (Mines) held a meeting with DG BIS on 17.1.2024 in which besides BIS & Ministry officials, industry representatives also attended. Thus, a sufficient period of 15 months, from 31 st August, 2023, onwards was allowed to the domestic and foreign suppliers of Copper cathodes to obtain the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification.

In FY 2023-24, India imported about 363 Thousand Tonnes (THT) of refined copper cathode (HS Code: 740311), valued at Rs. 24,552 crore. Japan accounts for about 2/3 rd (67%) of the refined copper imports. In quantity terms, about 69% of India's refined copper imports come from Japan. Tanzania is India's second important source of refined copper, contributing about 18% of the imports; followed by Mozambique with a share of about 5%.

M/s Adani's Kutch Copper Refinery has since come into production. However, as per company officials, ramp-up to full capacity will require some more time (about Feb-March 2025). Once achieved, India will be self-sufficient in refined copper, and will not have to rely on imports. Till that time, some amount of import of refined copper will take place.

As of now, 7 applications from Japanese smelters have been received for BIS certification, of which one smelter (Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd.) has already been granted license. As per information received from BIS, two more licenses will be granted by next week.

Presently, four domestic suppliers namely, Adani's Kutch Copper Ltd, Hindalco Industries Ltd, Gujarat Victory Forgings Pvt Ltd & Vedanta Ltd and four foreign suppliers, one each from Japan and Austria, and two from Malaysia have been certified by BIS to supply copper cathode to Indian market. Thus, with 4 domestic BIS certified suppliers & 4 foreign BIS certified suppliers and another two certifications by mid of Dec, 2024, no serious supply side constraint is envisaged.

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