Introduction
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has released an important Gazette Notification announcing a major shift in India’s electronic product safety framework. As part of this update, the long-established standards IS 13252: Part 1: 2010 and IS 616: 2017 will now be replaced with a single, unified global safety standard—IS/IEC 62368: Part 1: 2023. This new approach brings India in line with modern international practices and ensures that electronic and ICT products follow a more advanced, hazard-based safety methodology.
This change directly impacts all manufacturers, importers, and brand owners who deal with products covered under the Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). With the updated standard becoming the central requirement for certification, businesses must reassess their compliance strategies, testing procedures, and timelines. The goal behind this shift is to streamline regulatory processes, reduce overlapping requirements between older standards, and ultimately enhance product safety and consumer protection in the rapidly evolving electronics landscape.
Why the Change Was Introduced
For many years, electronic and ICT products in India were certified under two separate safety standards. This created overlaps, duplication in testing, and unnecessary regulatory complexity as modern devices began combining IT, audio, video, and communication functionalities in a single product.
The earlier standards included:
- IS 13252: Part 1: 2010 – for IT equipment
- IS 616: 2017 – for audio, video, and similar electronic apparatus
To remove this fragmentation, MeitY has now replaced both with the modern, hazard-based safety framework IS/IEC 62368-1:2023. This unified standard brings all relevant electronic and ICT products under one comprehensive safety requirement, offering clearer guidelines, reducing compliance confusion, and supporting current and emerging technologies more effectively.
Products Affected by the New Standard
All products previously falling under IS 13252 and IS 616 will now be evaluated under IS/IEC 62368-1:2023.
Products earlier covered under IS 13252:2010 include:
- Laptops, tablets & automatic data processing machines
- Mobile phones
- Visual display units and monitors (32” & above)
- CCTV cameras and recorders
- Telephone answering machines
- Smart watches
- Digital cameras
Products earlier covered under IS 616:2017 include:
- Amplifiers (2000W and above)
- Electronic games and musical systems
- LCD/LED/Plasma televisions
- Power adaptors for A/V equipment
- Wireless headphones, earphones & microphones
- Television sets (other than LCD/LED/Plasma)
- Webcams, video cameras, smart speakers & Bluetooth speakers
Note: All these categories now shift under one unified safety standard.
New Product Category Added: Extended Reality (XR) Devices
One of the most important updates in this notification is the introduction of a new CRS product category.
Extended Reality (XR) Products, including:
- Augmented Reality (AR) devices
- Virtual Reality (VR) headsets
- Mixed Reality (MR) devices
These have now been officially added as the 65th product category under the “Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021.
This means XR devices—highly popular in gaming, training, and simulation—must now undergo mandatory BIS registration before being imported, sold, or marketed in India.
Implementation Timeline Announced by MeitY
The notification specifies two migration deadlines:
1. For Extended Reality (XR) Products
All XR devices must comply with IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 by this date. New BIS applications must follow the new standard immediately.
Migration Deadline: 1 May 2026
2. For All Other Products Under IS 13252 and IS 616
Manufacturers and importers have until this date to migrate their existing registrations or apply for fresh licenses under the new standard.
Migration Deadline: 1 November 2028
Note: After 1 November 2028, both older standards—IS 13252 and IS 616—will be fully withdrawn, and only IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 will remain applicable.
Impact on Manufacturers and Importers
This migration requires every business involved in electronics manufacturing or importing to prepare well in advance.
Existing BIS-certified products will need to be upgraded to the new standard before the deadlines. New applicants must follow the updated testing and documentation requirements. For XR product brands, compliance should begin early to avoid delays because testing methods under the new standard may require revised safety evaluations.
MeitY is expected to release more detailed guidelines soon to support the migration process.
Benefits of Migrating to IS/IEC 62368-1:2023
The adoption of IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 offers several long-term advantages. It positions India in line with international safety standards followed in the US, EU, and other major markets. It also eliminates confusion caused by overlapping standards and introduces a more robust assessment process that evaluates risks rather than individual components.
This transition reflects the government’s commitment to improving product safety, encouraging technological advancement, and creating a clearer regulatory pathway for next-generation electronic products.
Key advantages include:
- Standardization across product categories
- Higher safety and better risk management
- Globally harmonized compliance requirements
- Simplified testing and certification processes
- Future-ready approach supporting advanced technologies
This shift ultimately makes India’s regulatory environment more aligned with modern technological advancements.
Conclusion
The new MeitY notification marks a major milestone in India’s electronic product safety certification landscape. By replacing older standards with IS/IEC 62368-1:2023, the government is creating a more structured, safer, and internationally compatible compliance framework.
Manufacturers and importers must now begin preparing for a smooth migration, ensuring timely testing, documentation, and BIS registration updates. This proactive approach will help avoid last-minute challenges and guarantee market continuity.
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