IBR & Compliance

IBR Form III-C (Now Form IV Part D) for Imported vs Indian-Made Fittings: What Gulf EPCs Supplying Indian Projects Need

Published 16 October 2026 · Arshya Pipe Fittings Pvt Ltd Technical Desk

EPC contractors and package suppliers based in the Gulf regularly win work on Indian power plants, refineries and process plants. When their scope includes steam piping, every elbow, tee, reducer and cap on an IBR line needs IBR certification before the boiler inspector will accept it. How you get that certification depends on one question: were the fittings made in India by an IBR-approved manufacturer, or were they made abroad?

Why this matters to a Gulf-based EPC

Many Gulf contractors buy fittings through regional stockists or from the same manufacturers they use for local projects. That works well for projects in the Gulf, but those fittings usually carry ASME or EN documentation only. An Indian boiler inspector will not accept them on an IBR line on the strength of an EN 10204 certificate alone, however good the material. The result, if this is discovered late, is a replacement order and a delayed hydro test.

The fix is to decide the IBR route at the time of purchase. There are two routes, and they differ in who inspects, when, and how much time you need to allow.

When IBR applies

Under India's boiler law, a steam pipe is covered when the steam pressure exceeds 3.5 kg/cm² above atmospheric, or when the pipe exceeds 254 mm internal diameter and the steam pressure exceeds 1 kg/cm² above atmospheric. The definition includes the fittings connected to such a pipe. Typical IBR scope on an Indian project includes main steam, hot and cold reheat, high-pressure feedwater and other boiler-connected lines.

The legal framework has just changed. The Boilers Act, 2025 replaced the Indian Boilers Act, 1923 with effect from 1 May 2025, and the Indian Boiler Regulations, 2026, published in the Gazette of India on 1 October 2026 and in force from that date, superseded the Indian Boiler Regulations, 1950. Under the 2026 Regulations, the certificate of manufacture and test for boiler mountings and fittings, long known as Form III-C, is Form IV (Part D), signed by the maker and the inspecting authority. Specifications, purchase orders and site teams will still say "Form III-C" for some time. This article reflects the position in October 2026; confirm the current forms, approvals and any transitional arrangements with the state boiler inspectorate for your site.

Route 1: fittings made in India by an IBR-approved manufacturer

This is the simpler route. The manufacturer already holds an IBR approval issued through a state boiler inspectorate, and the inspecting authority is local.

• The raw material (pipe or plate) comes with its own IBR documentation, for example a pipe certificate in Form IV (Part B), formerly Form III-A, or material from a well-known steel maker recognised by the Central Boilers Board.
• The inspecting authority carries out stage inspection and witnesses the agreed tests.
• The manufacturer completes the certificate of manufacture and test for each lot (Form IV Part D, formerly Form III-C), and the inspecting authority signs it as well.
• The certificate ships with the fittings, together with the material test certificates, linked by heat number.

For a Gulf EPC, the main tasks are to check the manufacturer's IBR approval and its validity, put the IBR fittings certificate (Form IV Part D) on the purchase order as a deliverable, and make sure the inspection dates fit the project schedule. Our guide to IBR Form IV (Part D), formerly Form III-C explains what the certificate covers.

Route 2: imported fittings

Fittings made outside India can be used on IBR lines, but the certificate must be endorsed by an inspecting authority recognised under the regulations, confirming that the parts meet IBR. In practice that means checking three things before you order:

• The inspecting authority. Is the body you plan to use recognised for IBR inspection in the manufacturer's country, and for this type of product?
• The manufacturer. Does it already have the IBR approval or recognition the regulations require for overseas makers, or must it be obtained for this order?
• The material. Will the mill certificates for the starting pipe or plate be accepted, or will additional verification be needed?

For fittings made outside India, the inspection and certification route under IBR 2026 differs from the route for Indian-made fittings; confirm it with the Chief Inspector of Boilers before ordering. Each of these steps can take time, and none can be done after the fittings are made. An inspecting authority will generally not countersign for parts it did not inspect during manufacture, so fittings already in a stockist's yard usually cannot be brought into IBR afterwards. Imported fittings must also clear Indian customs; ask your customs broker whether any quality control orders or other import conditions apply to the specific product.

Side-by-side comparison

Neither route is wrong. If you already have an overseas supplier set up for IBR, keep using it. If you do not, buying from an Indian manufacturer that already holds IBR approval usually removes the steps that cause most delays.

The document pack site will ask for

Whichever route you use, the boiler inspector at site will expect to see, for each lot:

• The IBR certificate for the fittings (Form IV Part D under the 2026 Regulations, formerly Form III-C), signed by the maker and the inspecting authority;
• Material test certificates with heat numbers that match the fitting marking;
• Raw material IBR evidence where the inspector asks for it;
• A copy of the manufacturer's IBR approval;
• Any test reports named on the certificate, such as hydrostatic or NDE reports.

Put these on your purchase order as deliverables, and ask for draft copies before dispatch. It is much easier to correct a heat number on a draft than on a countersigned original. Our article on understanding IBR compliance lists the checks to run on a new supplier.

Mixed scope: IBR and non-IBR on one order

A typical package has both IBR lines and utility or process lines outside IBR. Mark the IBR lines clearly on the purchase order so they are inspected and certified, and keep them physically separate in packing. Fittings that look identical but carry different documents are a common source of site queries.

How we supply IBR fittings

Our fittings are manufactured at the group manufacturing facility, Arshya Engineers & Fabrications Pvt Ltd, at Village Dundsa, Palwal, Haryana, which holds IBR approval from the Chief Inspector of Boilers, Haryana. Every IBR consignment ships with the IBR certificate of manufacture and test required by the current Regulations (Form IV Part D from 1 October 2026, previously Form III-C), together with EN 10204 3.1 certificates, or 3.2 with TÜV, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, DNV or SGS when required. The facility also holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, PED 2014/68/EU and ASME U-Stamp; certificates can be downloaded from our quality page.

Common IBR grades include ASTM A234 WPB, WP11, WP22, WP91 and WP92. We quote in USD, EUR or INR, with no minimum order, and ship to more than 30 countries.

Frequently asked questions