New Delhi: The union government has temporarily suspended mandatory quality standards for Morpholine for three months to ensure adequate availability of the industrial chemical to domestic users, citing disruption to the global supply chain.
In an official notification issued on Thursday, the government said compliance with Indian standards under the Morpholine (Quality Control) Regulations, 2020 will not apply from April 1 to July 1, 2026. The regulations, notified under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, mandate that the chemicals meet specifications prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and be certified for sale in the Indian market.
The decision was taken “in view of the needs prevailing worldwide” and after taking into account supply chain disruptions affecting availability, the announcement said, adding that the temporary release was necessary to avoid shortages and ensure continuity of supply to user industries.
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Normally, the quality control order requires manufacturers and importers to comply with BIS standards to ensure product quality, safety and uniformity, while the sale of substandard material is prohibited in the domestic market.
The temporary exemption effectively allows non-BIS compliant Morpholine to be manufactured, imported and sold for a period of three months, providing relief to user industries such as rubber, pharmaceutical and chemical industries that rely on steady supply.
It is one of the first QCOs to be released amid ongoing tensions in West Asia. The development is part of a wider strategy regarding QCO. The government has canceled more than 50 QCOs, reducing the number of active QCOs to 711 from 761 in March last year.
Industry executives said supply constraints had intensified in recent months due to disruptions in global production and logistics. “The government’s decision to temporarily relax QCOs will help ensure the continuity of user industries such as rubber and pharmaceuticals,” said Vinod Kumar, president of the India SME Forum.
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Essential chemicals
The Morpholine (Quality Control) Order was originally issued in June 2020 and amended in October 2024. Its purpose was to control imports from China, which, along with Belgium, is a key supplier of the industrial chemical.
In FY24, India imported 1,274.84 tonnes of morpholine worth $2.26 million from Belgium. In FY25, this fell to 508 tonnes valued at US$0.98 million. Imports from China were 1,677.05 tonnes valued at US$3.28 million in FY24 and fell to 782.58 tonnes valued at US$1.43 million in FY25.
India’s total imports of the chemical were valued at $8.63 million in FY24 and $4.96 million in FY25. Apart from China and Belgium, India sources morpholine from Germany, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.
Morpholine is a key industrial chemical used in many industries. It is widely used in rubber processing, especially in the production of vulcanization accelerators necessary for tires and other rubber goods.
In the pharmaceutical sector, it serves as an intermediate in the synthesis of active pharmaceutical substances. It is also used in water treatment as a corrosion inhibitor in boilers and also finds application in agrochemicals, detergents and optical brighteners.
India’s morpholine market has shown strong growth in recent years and is expected to grow by 5.7% from USD 4.3 billion in 2025 to USD 4.54 billion in 2026, according to Research and Market, a market research portal.
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