A manufacturer planning to launch an industrial motor in India, an importer sourcing centrifugal pumps from overseas and a company selling low-voltage circuit breakers may all hear the same advice: “You need BIS.”
But the compliance route for these three businesses can be completely different.
For industrial products, the first question should therefore not be how to apply for BIS certification. It should be:
Is this exact product presently covered by compulsory BIS certification, and under which Indian Standard and regulatory order?
BIS itself explains that product certification is generally voluntary unless compliance with an Indian Standard has been made compulsory through a government Quality Control Order or another applicable notification.
That distinction is particularly important for pumps, motors, switchgear, controlgear and other industrial electrical equipment because their regulatory position has changed considerably during 2025 and 2026.
There is currently no safe basis for stating that every pump sold or imported into India automatically requires compulsory BIS certification.
Pumps were included in the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024, which proposed a broad Scheme-X safety framework for machinery and electrical equipment.
However, the Ministry of Heavy Industries withdrew that OTR on 16 January 2026. BIS’s own Scheme-X page records the rescinding notification, S.O. 239(E), alongside the earlier OTR notifications.
Meanwhile, DPIIT continued work on a separate Pumps Quality Control Order. An official June 2026 stakeholder-consultation notice referred to the Draft Pumps QCO and 12 product standards.
Do not rely solely on:
Instead, check the exact pump type against the latest QCO and compulsory-certification status.
BIS does maintain Scheme-I product manuals for pump products. For example, it has product manuals for horizontal centrifugal pumps under IS 6595 and for other pump-related equipment. These documents are useful for certification preparation, testing and grouping, but a product manual and a compulsory QCO are not the same thing.
The regulatory position is clearer for certain three-phase induction motors.
The current BIS compulsory Scheme-I list includes Energy Efficient Induction Motors – Three Phase Squirrel Cage against IS 12615.
For products falling within the applicable scope, the manufacturer needs to evaluate matters such as:
Historically, the IS 12615 product manual has also used parameters such as rated output, mounting, poles, efficiency class, IP protection and insulation class for product-grouping decisions. Applicants must use the current BIS product manual and current standard when preparing a fresh application.
BIS published the fourth revision, IS 12615:2026, on 7 May 2026.
Businesses should not make their testing or tooling decision from the publication date alone. Before submitting a new application or modifying an existing licence, confirm:
This small verification can prevent testing a product against the wrong revision.
Industrial businesses should also avoid treating every motor as an IS 12615 motor.
BIS currently has a separate product manual for Line Operated A.C. Motors for Submersible Pumpsets under IS 9283:2024.
This illustrates an important rule:
The commercial name “electric motor” is not enough to decide the Indian Standard.
The product’s design, intended application and technical scope have to be matched against the relevant standard.
Low-voltage switchgear and controlgear are covered through the Electrical Equipment (Quality Control) Order framework and BIS Scheme-X.
The BIS Scheme-X table contains standards from the IS/IEC 60947 family covering products such as:
But this does not mean that every category has the same enforcement position.
The current BIS table identifies AC Category-A circuit breakers up to 630 A and up to 440 V under IS/IEC 60947 Part 2:2016, while many subsequent categories expressly reference the deferment notification S.O. 5038(E), dated 6 November 2025.
Before importing or manufacturing industrial electrical equipment, therefore, check the specific row, rating, utilization category, voltage and standard rather than relying on the general heading “low-voltage switchgear”.
These terms are often mixed together, but they perform different functions.
| Situation | Likely framework to examine |
|---|---|
| Indian manufacturer of a product under traditional ISI compulsory certification | Scheme-I |
| Three-phase energy-efficient induction motor falling within IS 12615/QCO scope | Scheme-I |
| Product specifically regulated through the Electrical Equipment QCO/Scheme-X | Scheme-X |
| Foreign manufacturer seeking a BIS licence for a Scheme-I product | FMCS pathway |
| Pump for which no current compulsory QCO applies | Check whether voluntary Scheme-I certification is commercially desired |
| Electronics/IT product notified under MeitY CRS | Scheme-II/CRS – separate from the industrial-equipment routes discussed here |
The correct route should be selected only after the applicable product, standard and notification are confirmed.
A practical six-step screening process is:
Collect:
BIS states that the licence process begins with identifying the Indian Standard applicable to the product.
Do not choose the standard merely because the title looks similar.
Confirm whether a current QCO or compulsory-certification notification covers that product and standard.
BIS specifically states that certification is generally voluntary unless made compulsory through the appropriate government action.
This step is particularly important for machinery and electrical equipment.
The withdrawal of the 2024 OTR and the deferment of several EEQCO implementation phases demonstrate why a notification published one year earlier may no longer represent the current position.
Ask:
BIS licences are tied to the manufacturer, product/standard and manufacturing premises. An importer generally cannot substitute itself for a foreign manufacturer when the applicable conformity-assessment scheme requires manufacturer certification.
Only after Steps 1-5 should the business determine whether it needs Scheme-I, Scheme-X, FMCS or another BIS pathway.
For a conventional Scheme-I application, BIS describes the process as beginning with standard identification and an assessment of the manufacturer’s:
The licence is granted after BIS assesses the manufacturing premises and establishes conformity of the product through applicable factory and/or third-party testing. Applications and payments are handled online through the BIS system.
A typical project therefore involves:
The exact sequence may vary with the applicable scheme and product.
Testing is one of the areas where industrial certification projects often lose time.
Before dispatching samples, verify that the laboratory:
BIS’s Laboratory Information Management System provides standard-wise laboratory scope information. For example, current listings show laboratory capabilities against motor standard IS 12615 and pump standards in the IS 6595 family, including rating and test-scope limitations.
A laboratory being able to test “motors” generally does not necessarily mean it can test your exact output, rating or standard.
BIS certification is not simply a document-filing exercise.
For Scheme-I, BIS states that the manufacturing infrastructure, process controls, quality control and testing capabilities are assessed through a visit to the manufacturing premises.
Before inspection, the factory should therefore be able to demonstrate:
The exact test equipment should be derived from the relevant Indian Standard and current BIS product manual rather than from a generic BIS checklist.
| Information/document | Manufacturer should provide | Compliance consultant can support |
| Company and factory identity | Yes | Review consistency |
| Product catalogue/specification | Yes | Technical mapping |
| Models and ratings | Yes | Grouping strategy |
| Manufacturing process | Yes | Gap review |
| Manufacturing machinery | Yes | Readiness assessment |
| Test equipment and calibration | Yes | Standard-to-equipment mapping |
| Applicable Indian Standard | Technical inputs | Regulatory confirmation |
| QCO status | Product inputs | Regulatory research |
| Laboratory coordination | Samples/technical support | Coordination and tracking |
| BIS application | Signatory information | Preparation and filing support |
| Factory inspection | Factory team | Pre-audit readiness |
| Observation responses | Technical evidence | Response structuring |
| AIR documents for foreign applicant | Foreign manufacturer/AIR | Review and coordination |
This division keeps technical responsibility with the manufacturer while allowing the consultant to manage regulatory interpretation and application execution.
A foreign manufacturer supplying regulated industrial equipment into India generally needs to examine the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS) for Scheme-I products.
BIS describes FMCS as a mechanism through which a foreign manufacturer can receive a BIS licence for a product manufactured at its overseas premises and conforming to the relevant Indian Standard.
The foreign manufacturer must nominate an Authorized Indian Representative (AIR) in accordance with BIS requirements.
BIS states that the AIR must be an Indian resident and assumes responsibility for compliance associated with operation of the BIS licence. Where the foreign manufacturer has an Indian branch or office, a suitable employee may preferably be nominated.
From 1 June 2026, BIS accepts FMCS grant-of-licence applications only through the online portal; offline/hard-copy applications were accepted only up to 31 May 2026.
Foreign manufacturers planning India market entry should therefore prepare the application, AIR nomination, testing strategy and factory assessment before committing to an import or launch deadline.
There is no responsible single figure for the cost of BIS certification for pumps, motors or industrial electrical equipment.
The total project cost can include:
BIS directs applicants to its current fee information rather than relying on one universal amount.
Testing depends on:
An FMCS project can additionally involve factory-inspection logistics and other foreign-manufacturer requirements.
Consultancy charges should be separately identified from statutory BIS and laboratory costs.
Before accepting any quotation described as a single “BIS government fee”, ask for a component-wise breakup.
A fixed approval period should not be promised before reviewing the product and factory.
Actual project duration can depend on:
A better way to plan is to build the timeline backwards from the intended manufacturing, import or market-launch date.
Typical problems include:
The commercial name of the product is used instead of its actual technical scope.
A business prepares for Scheme-X when Scheme-I applies, or assumes the importer can hold a licence that must actually be obtained by the manufacturer.
Too many models are tested unnecessarily, or the tested model fails to represent the proposed licence scope.
The selected laboratory cannot test the required power, voltage, product range or full standard.
Mandatory in-house controls or equipment are identified only after the formal application begins.
Ratings, model numbers and declarations vary between application documents, test reports, labels and catalogues.
The business relies on an old QCO deadline, withdrawn regulation or outdated standard revision.
For pumps and industrial electrical equipment in 2026, this last issue is particularly important.
Before filing, answer these questions:
If several answers are “No”, a pre-application review can be more useful than immediately filing the BIS application.
Is the product manufactured or imported for the Indian market?
Yes → Identify exact technical product
↓
Find applicable Indian Standard
↓
Check current QCO/compulsory BIS list
↓
Mandatory?
↓
Factory outside India?
↓
Confirm laboratory + factory readiness before filing
This order is safer than beginning with an application form.
For industrial products, successful BIS preparation starts much earlier than form submission.
Green Permits can support manufacturers and importers with:
The first deliverable should always be clarity on what actually applies to the product.
Share the product catalogue, technical ratings, manufacturing country and proposed models with Green Permits for an initial BIS applicability review.
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📧 wecare@greenpermits.in
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