Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Piyush Goyal, chaired a pivotal meeting in New Delhi on May 16, 2025, with key electronics industry stakeholders to discuss the implementation of horizontal Quality Control Orders (QCOs). The goal of the meeting was to ensure enhanced product safety, standardisation, and global competitiveness for India’s rapidly growing electronics manufacturing sector.

Focus on Horizontal Quality Control Orders

Quality Control Orders are statutory measures issued under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, requiring that specific goods conform to Indian standards. These standards ensure that products meet essential safety, reliability, and performance parameters before they reach consumers. Products under a QCO must carry BIS certification, which acts as a guarantee of compliance. Failure to comply can result in legal penalties, including bans on sales and production.

The term horizontal QCOs refers to orders that cut across multiple categories within a sector — in this case, various electrical and electronic appliances. Unlike vertical QCOs that apply to specific products, horizontal QCOs encourage uniform quality benchmarks across a wide array of items, promoting systemic improvements in industry standards.

Key Objectives of the Meeting

During the interaction, Minister Goyal described the session as productive and forward-looking, focusing on:

• Implementing QCOs effectively

• Strengthening compliance frameworks

• Facilitating smoother certification processes

• Promoting growth and export readiness in electronics manufacturing

The government’s intent is to build a consumer-first electronics ecosystem where safety and quality are non-negotiable foundations. By extending legal accountability, the QCOs will push manufacturers to maintain uniform product integrity, reducing the risk of substandard goods in the market.

Role of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)

The BIS, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, is the National Standards Body of India. It plays a central role in:

• Setting and maintaining quality benchmarks

• Conducting conformity assessments

• Supporting third-party certification for regulated products

• Creating procedural and operational clarity for industries

For electronics, BIS certification assures customers that appliances meet stringent safety codes — an important criterion both for domestic trust and global export markets.

With the enforcement of QCOs, manufacturers must now:

• Register and certify products through BIS

• Affix standard-compliant labels and logos

• Regularly submit products for quality checks

• Align production processes to BIS norms

This will elevate consumer confidence, reduce defective imports, and create a level playing field for compliant Indian manufacturers.

Boosting Export Competitiveness and Industry Growth

One of the major takeaways from the meeting was the emphasis on exports and innovation. With India striving to become a global electronics manufacturing hub, it is essential to ensure that domestic products meet international quality benchmarks.

QCO-backed BIS certification will help Indian companies:

• Gain faster market access in regions like Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia

• Avoid non-tariff trade barriers imposed by other countries

• Reduce product rejections and improve after-sales reliability

Additionally, standardisation through QCOs can improve economies of scale, drive component interoperability, and support R&D in consumer electronics, wearables, IoT devices, and smart appliances.

Industry Participation and Challenges

Mr. Goyal acknowledged the cooperation and feedback provided by stakeholders during the session. Many industry representatives supported the move, citing the benefits of having a clear, uniform quality framework. However, a few challenges were also raised:

• Complexity in obtaining BIS certifications, especially for smaller players

• Awareness gaps regarding the scope and procedures of QCOs

• Need for testing labs and support infrastructure across manufacturing hubs

• Concerns about implementation timelines and resource constraints

In response, the Minister assured the industry of phased rollouts, increased testing infrastructure, financial support schemes, and training programs to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) comply with the new norms.

He also reiterated the government’s commitment to maintaining dialogue with industry associations, working together to iron out technical bottlenecks, and creating ease of doing business for all stakeholders.

Policy Support and Future Roadmap

The initiative to roll out horizontal QCOs aligns with the larger national goals of:

• "Make in India" and "Atmanirbhar Bharat"

• Enhancing domestic value addition

• Building India’s brand credibility in international markets

• Ensuring consumer welfare through high-quality products

The government is planning:

• Policy amendments to smoothen BIS processes

• Expansion of conformity assessment labs

• Deployment of digital tracking systems to monitor certified products

• Incentives for QCO-compliant innovation and exports

In the long run, QCO implementation is likely to serve as a cornerstone for India’s quality revolution, not just in electronics but across other manufacturing domains like textiles, chemicals, automotive components, and medical devices.

Conclusion

The high-level meeting led by Union Minister Mr. Piyush Goyal marks a crucial milestone in India’s journey toward becoming a global manufacturing powerhouse. By placing quality assurance and standardisation at the heart of the electronics sector, the government is building a system that supports consumer safety, boosts export potential, and enhances the credibility of Indian brands in international markets.

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