For many enterprises that wish to sell in India, obtaining Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification is a crucial step. This certificate is required for the importation of various product categories, as it certifies compliance with Indian quality and safety standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards, the national certification body under the Indian Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
In our article, we will examine the nature of this certification and the process required to obtain it.
BIS certification has two main categories, distinguished by whether or not to undergo a factory inspection:
Each year, the list of products requiring certification grows with new product groups, making it impossible to definitively determine the exemption of a particular product. However, new mandatory standards usually come into effect at a date after they are published. This gives producers a window of opportunity to obtain certification on time.
For sell in India, è so fundamental to be up-to-date on the BIS catalog, since it's about an element that is constantly being updated
È Need to carefully check whether products intended for export to the country require certification BIS ISI (Scheme I) or registration BIS CRS (Scheme II).
This ensures compliance with current regulations in the Indian market.
Product groups subject to these provisions include:
ISI certification:
CRS registration:
Once the product category has been identified, it is essential to follow the BIS registration procedure correctly.
The BIS certification procedure includes a number of standard steps:
The process generally takes 2 to 3 months (without audit for BIS-CRS registration) or 4 to 6 months (with audit for BIS-ISI certification).
The validity of the BIS certificate is two years, but additional testing may be required during this period, according to the prescribed testing standards.
Any changes to the product or production process will require retesting to maintain the validity of the certificate.
Changes that are affected include:
Changes in BIS regulations may also make it necessary to revise the certification.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain careful adherence to regulations and testing standards related to your product.
It is important to note that the procedure for BIS approval necessarily requires the involvement of an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR), appointed by the manufacturer. This figure, who must be a resident of the country, serves as the local point of contact for the Indian authorities and assumes responsibility for handling requests.
Making sure to designate a competent AIR is an essential step to ensure proper interaction with authorities and efficient management of approval procedures.
Common mistakes to avoid
Some common errors that can occur during the certification process include:
Once the BIS certificate has been obtained, product marking can proceed. Until early 2022, two types of marks were in use: the BIS-CRS logo and the BIS-ISI logo.
The BIS-CRS logo was used to indicate BIS registration, while the BIS-ISI logo (also known as the BIS standard mark) was intended for BIS certification.
In addition to the logo, an identification number is assigned: CM/L BIS for BIS-ISI certification or an R number for BIS-CRS registration. This number, consisting of 7 or 8 digits, simplifies product identification at the manufacturing plant.
However, as of January 2022, BIS has decided to exclusively adopt the BIS-ISI logo. Although this change mainly affects appearance, information such as registration number, IS/IEC standard, and BIS website will remain the same.
Octagona has established its reputation as a trusted partner for companies looking to expand their business beyond national borders. With its extensive experience, Octagona is able to offer a range of internationalization strategies dedicated to Italian companies.
Our team offers crucial support in the process of obtaining BIS certification, essential for sell in India certain products, in accordance with current regulations. In fact, Indian authorities do not directly notify economic actors of any regulatory updates, which are available only in English on the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) website, which and can be complex to interpret.
Armed with in-depth experience in the Indian market and detailed knowledge of local regulations, Octagona is ready to assist companies in every sector at all stages of the certification process.
Our activities include simplifying technical requirements, managing the necessary paperwork, and assisting in interactions with Indian authorities.
For more information, please feel free to contact us.
The BIS certification is the certificate issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards, a national body under the Indian Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. It demonstrates the product’s compliance with Indian quality and safety standards and is required to import various categories of products into the country.
The main difference is factory inspection. The CRS registration does not require it and was introduced in 2012 for 15 categories of products, then expanded. The ISI certification requires an inspection at the factory, which for multi-site productions involves the plant of the final production phase, and is issued by the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Department (FMCD).
Items subject to ISI certification include cables, food, safety glass, motors and electric transformers, chemicals, automotive accessories, steel, and toys. The CRS registration includes cameras, photovoltaic systems, low-voltage panels, power supplies, LED lights, and monitors. The list grows every year, so it must be verified before exporting.
The BIS CRS registration usually takes 2 to 3 months, which does not involve an audit, and the BIS ISI certification takes 4 to 6 months, which does. The certificate is valid for two years, but during this period additional tests can be requested according to the standard testing requirements.
The AIR (Authorized Indian Representative) is a resident figure in India, appointed by the manufacturer, mandatory in the BIS approval procedure. It acts as the local point of contact with the Indian authorities and handles requests. Poor cooperation from the AIR is among the most common errors and can cause delays in certification.
New tests are needed for modifications to the main components, updates to those components, redesigning the design, revising the structure, replacing the raw material or changing the raw material suppliers. Even changes in the BIS regulations can make a revision of the certificate necessary, so it is necessary to monitor the standards and tests of one’s own product.
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