India's Quality Ecosystem: Challenges and Reforms
India's quality ecosystem requires a comprehensive review to meet global standards and the demands of modern times. The Indian National Strategy for Standardisation (INSS) provides a formal policy framework for standards and quality. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019, introduced product liability and the Central Consumer Protection Authority. While India ranks 11th in the Global Quality Infrastructure Index 2025, challenges remain in sectors like organic certification and agri-food exports.
Current State and Challenges
- India has over 22,300 standards, with 94% harmonized with ISO and IEC standards.
- Issues exist in sectors like organic certification, pharmaceuticals, and textiles.
- Challenges include governance in agri-food exports, trust in certification, and recognition of Indian standards globally.
Quality Ecosystem Structure
- The ecosystem involves regulators, standards bodies, conformity assessment bodies, accreditation, and market surveillance.
- Weakness in any link can undermine the system.
Legacy Issues
- There are overlaps between promotion and regulation, licensing and surveillance, and conformity assessment and enforcement.
- Sectoral quality policies need to be owned by line ministries.
Role of Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)
- BIS is central to voluntary standardization but its roles have expanded.
- There is a need to separate standard-setting, certification, and enforcement functions.
Export Quality Regulation
- Responsibilities are spread across multiple bodies like Apeda, EIC, and Spices Board.
- Comparison with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India's consolidation benefits.
Global Recognition and Reforms
- The goal is to improve India's quality governance with a National Authority on Quality.
- Three key shifts:
- Line ministries must lead sectoral quality strategies.
- BIS should focus on voluntary standardization separate from technical regulation.
- Consolidate export quality regulation, distinguishing between promotion and regulation.
- Credibility of conformity assessment requires stronger supervision.
- Global acceptance should be a policy objective, with participation in international standard-setting.
The reform should not be judged by the number of standards but by the confidence and credibility generated by India's quality ecosystem.
