India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) held a meeting on 11 July 2025 and announced that it will adopt the international safety standard IS/IEC 62368-1:2023, gradually replacing the current IS 13252 (Part 1):2020 for information technology equipment and IS 616:2017 for audio/video equipment. The change internationalises India's product safety framework and is expected to affect nearly 50% of products under BIS mandatory certification.

Core changes in the new standard

1. Wider scope

- the new standard merges the 40 product categories covered by the two existing standards, including smartphones, laptops and monitors;

- AR and VR devices will be added to the mandatory certification list, expected to apply within 6 to 12 months of the announcement.

2. Transition arrangements

- MeitY is expected to provide a three-year transition period so that companies can migrate gradually, during which the old and new standards run in parallel;

- the formal implementation order has not yet been issued, but companies should plan ahead to avoid delays at the certification peak.

3. Issues industry is watching

- test scope: MeitY tends to require all product models to be tested to the new standard, while industry calls for testing only lead models to reduce cost;

- repair exemption: components used for after-sales repair may receive partial exemption, with details still under discussion;

- family classification: MeitY is seeking industry views on the rules for grouping product families, with a two-week window for comment.

The upgrade brings India closer to international safety practice, but companies must still allow for local differences. The inclusion of AR and VR categories also reflects India's regulatory approach to frontier technology markets. NTEK advises companies to use the policy window, optimise compliance strategy and ensure business continuity.

Meeting summary

No formal announcement yet. MeitY may issue the formal implementation order in the coming months and is still collecting industry feedback, with a two-week reply window.

A three-year transition is expected. During the buffer, IS 13252 and IS 616 will apply alongside IS/IEC 62368-1.

Industry feedback on test scope. Although discussion currently leans towards requiring all models to be tested to the new standard, industry suggests testing only lead models.

Affected product categories. The update affects 27 product categories under IS 13252 and 13 under IS 616, together about half of all BIS-registered products.

New AR/VR category. A dedicated category for AR and VR devices is expected within 6 to 12 months of the formal announcement, bringing them into BIS mandatory certification.

Overlap with other regulations. Some categories, such as video conferencing equipment, may be regulated separately by BIS under a separate order.

After-sales repair exemption. MeitY may grant limited exemptions for after-sales service and repair of products under IS 13252 and IS 616.

Consultation on family classification. MeitY has invited industry to comment within two weeks on proposed revisions to the family classification rules.

Recommended next steps for applicants, manufacturers and importers

Follow the formal orders published by MeitY and BIS; submit comments on test scope and family classification by the deadline; carry out an internal compliance assessment and plan for each product line; and prepare for dual-standard compliance during the transition.

The move to IS/IEC 62368-1 is a major modernisation of India's safety framework, aligning it with global standards and further improving consumer protection.