Bhairahawa, July 29 -- Exports of steel utensils from Nepal to India have ground to a halt after the southern neighbour made it mandatory for raw materials used in steel products to bear a quality certification mark.

Previously, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification was required only for finished products. This move was aimed at curbing Chinese imports. However, about two months ago, India extended the requirement to raw materials, triggering an export crisis for manufacturers in Nepal, particularly those operating within the Bhairahawa-based Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

Before this shift, in 2020, the Indian government had instructed the BIS to enforce mandatory standards for imported goods in line with global quality norm...