On the occasion of World Standards Day 2025, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) organized a national celebration to mark India’s progress in standardization, quality, and consumer protection. Addressing the event virtually, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Minister of New and Renewable Energy, Shri Pralhad Joshi, announced that the government is harmonizing the Quality Control Orders (QCOs) to curb the circulation of substandard goods while supporting the needs of the MSME sector.
Focus on Quality and Economic Growth
Shri Joshi emphasized that the BIS must maintain a sustainable balance between enforcing strict quality standards and facilitating MSME competitiveness. He noted that India’s economy has grown remarkably — from being the 10th largest in 2014 to the 4th largest in 2025, reflecting the government’s philosophy of “Reform, Perform, and Transform.” India is steadily moving toward becoming the third-largest economy by 2028, with BIS playing a vital role by aligning Indian standards with global benchmarks.
Strengthening Standards for Global Competitiveness
The Minister underscored that standards form the backbone of safety, quality, and trust across all products and services, supporting both domestic and international trade. He highlighted that 94% of Indian standards have been harmonized with ISO and IEC benchmarks, enhancing global compatibility. The number of standards in force has grown to 22,300, with new standards increasing from 407 in 2014 to 1,038 in 2025, and the number of products under mandatory certification rising to 773 across 191 QCOs.
He reaffirmed Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Zero Defect, Zero Effect”, emphasizing that India must be globally recognized for quality while ensuring environmental responsibility.
World Standards Day 2025 Theme: Shared Vision for a Better World
The 2025 celebration theme, “Shared Vision for a Better World – Partnership for the Goals”, aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 17 (SDG-17), emphasizing collaboration for sustainable growth. Shri Joshi stated that BIS has been pivotal in developing standards for emerging sectors such as renewable energy, electric mobility, digital infrastructure, and sustainable materials, ensuring that India’s standardization efforts stay future-ready.
New Initiatives Launched by BIS
During the event, BIS unveiled several significant digital and technical initiatives aimed at enhancing quality assurance and transparency:
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National Lighting Code of India: 2025 (Revised Edition) – Updated to reflect advancements in LED, IoT-enabled lighting, renewable integration, and human-centric lighting, the new code consolidates global best practices for energy-efficient, sustainable lighting systems.
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Pilot Project for Capturing Weight and Photograph of Hallmarked Jewellery – Aimed at enhancing transparency, this project digitally records each hallmarked jewellery item’s photograph and weight in the BIS portal. Consumers can verify authenticity via the BIS Care mobile app.
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Integration of Laboratory Equipment with BIS Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) – Over 180 instruments across BIS and recognized labs have been digitally interconnected, improving accuracy, efficiency, and traceability in testing.
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Launch of BIS Learning Management System (LMS) – An online platform offering self-paced certificate courses on Indian Standards and conformity assessment procedures for industry professionals, promoting digital learning and capacity building.
Industry Collaboration and Consumer Awareness
Shri Joshi encouraged greater participation from industries in the standardization process to ensure that standards are practical, dynamic, and globally aligned. He also called for strengthened consumer outreach, particularly in rural and semi-urban regions, to raise awareness about the importance of standards and certification in ensuring safety and quality.
Minister of State Shri B. L. Verma’s Address
Shri B. L. Verma, Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, lauded the experts and professionals driving India’s standardization movement. He described World Standards Day as a tribute to the “Standardization Heroes of India” and emphasized the critical role of BIS in ensuring balanced, globally harmonized standards that foster economic growth and innovation.
Towards a Quality-Driven Viksit Bharat
Shri Joshi concluded by asserting that India’s progress toward Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat depends on a strong quality foundation. He expressed confidence that BIS will emerge as one of the world’s leading national standards bodies, setting benchmarks in quality, safety, and sustainability, and supporting India’s vision of a resilient, innovation-led economy.
