New Delhi, Jan. 29 -- New Delhi: Invoking economist Milton Friedman's famous 1980 lecture to highlight the deep interconnectedness of global production systems, the Economic Survey 2025-26 on Thursday backed the government's expanding use of quality control orders (QCOs) as a key pillar of India's manufacturing and export strategy. It, however, cautioned that poorly designed or hastily implemented quality mandates could trigger cost shocks, disrupt supply chains and weaken competitiveness, particularly for small businesses.

The survey argued that quality is now as critical as cost-competitiveness, if India is to position itself as an indispensable part of global value chains.

The warning gains significance as the government has withdraw...