Core Viewpoint - The Indian government has announced the removal of quality control orders (QCO) for seven petrochemical products to alleviate operational burdens on domestic manufacturers [1] Group 1: Regulatory Changes - The seven petrochemical products affected include paraxylene (PX), toluene, methyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, vinyl acetate monomer (VAM), dichloroethane, and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) [1] - The QCO, which was previously mandated by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) since 2021, required manufacturers and importers to obtain certification to sell these chemicals in the Indian market [1] Group 2: Impact on Industry - This is the third instance of the Indian government easing import certification requirements for chemicals, aimed at boosting domestic production, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) [1] - The previous QCO was seen as detrimental to the competitiveness of Indian manufacturing, particularly impacting SMEs by limiting supply chain flexibility and increasing costs of imported raw materials such as polymers, rubber, chemicals, fibers, and metals [1]

Group 1 - ADNOC and ADQ have established a joint venture, Taziz, which signed a contract worth $1.99 billion with China National Chemical Engineering Group for the construction of the UAE's first PVC production plant [1] - The PVC plant is a core component of a chlor-alkali complex with an annual capacity of 1.9 million tons, also producing VCM, EDC, and caustic soda to meet domestic supply and export demand [1] - The project is expected to be completed and operational by the fourth quarter of 2028 [1] Group 2 - Taziz is also developing supporting infrastructure for the chemical hub, including oil pipelines, marine terminals, and storage facilities, with investments from companies like Mitsui & Co. and GS Energy [1] - Earlier in February, Taziz signed a $1.7 billion contract with Samsung Engineering for the construction of a methanol plant with an annual capacity of 1.8 million tons [1]