New Delhi, July 8 -- The Aluminium Association of India (AAI) has urged the Centre to immediately notify long-pending BIS standards for aluminium scrap, warning that India risks becoming a dumping ground for substandard material amid a surge in imports.

In representations submitted to the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Mines, AAI said aluminium is now a "future-facing strategic material used across power, transport, infrastructure, defence, aerospace, packaging, electronics, utensils and renewable energy." It added that "any unchecked entry of aluminium scrap can therefore have a wider economic impact by affecting product quality, consumer safety, manufacturing competitiveness and the credibility of India's aluminium value chain...