New Delhi, May 12 -- Consumer affairs secretary Nidhi Khare said on Tuesday that the country's expanding use of Quality Control Orders (QCO), which now cover 723 goods, was not protectionism but an upgrade of an economy that plans to lead global supply chains. She indicated the toy sector, which has moved from being a net importer to a net exporter since a 2021 quality order, as proof that the policy works.

"In the modern global economy, competitiveness is no longer determined only by cost or scale, but increasingly by quality, safety, reliability and standards compliance," she said at an event. Khare said that India was at a transformative moment in its economic journey and manufacturing would play a central role in achieving the vision...