Identify testing needs, support MSMEs in meeting global standards, and increase stakeholder participation to strengthen quality ecosystem : Shri Goyal

India moving towards a unified quality standard for domestic and global markets: Shri Piyush Goyal

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal said that the number of Quality Control Orders (QCOs) in the country has grown from just 14 covering 106 products in 2014 to 156 QCOs covering 672 products over the last decade. He said this while addressing the 75th anniversary celebration of SGS in India in New Delhi, adding that the government is working to introduce more horizontal and product-specific standards to ensure that all goods and services made in India meet global benchmarks.

Shri Goyal reaffirmed the Prime Minister’s vision of “Zero Defect, Zero Effect” saying that with zero defect, the Prime Minister is reflecting on higher quality standards, high quality products, goods and services from India and with zero effect he is focusing on sustainability.

The Minister  outlined three key focus areas for industry and stakeholders in India’s quality journey:

“Industry needs to identify areas where testing is required—BIS has ample funds.”

“Larger industry body should support small MSMEs—upgrading their quality to global standards.”

“Increase stakeholder consultations and participation of industry, including our innovators, academia, startups, so that India can be a pioneer in setting global standards.”

Shri Goyal emphasised the government’s commitment to strengthening India’s quality infrastructure and fostering global trust in Indian products and services.He stated that India is steadily moving towards a unified quality regime for both domestic and international markets. “We gradually get into the mindset of having two quality standards—one a locally accepted standard and another an export quality standard. India today is focused and rapidly moving towards a nation which will have only one standard and that will be a high quality standard. A standard that will work in India and the same standard will be exported to the rest of the world,” he said.

Referring to India’s long dependence on foreign standards, Shri Goyal noted that over decades India has been dependent on foreign standards for quality but now India's space and progress will be decided by our own Indian standards. He further added that Indian agencies like BIS, FSSAI, and various line ministries are working in coordination to harmonise Indian standards with global ones.

On the testing and certification front, the Minister said, “I would like to invite any and every industry in the country which requires more modern testing facilities, which requires testing facilities comparable to the best in the world, and I would like the industries to demand that India should have those facilities and BIS is willing to fund 100% of the amount required to bring those testing facilities in our country.”

He emphasised the importance of building trust through testing, stating, “Every test result should carry with it the weight of trust of 140 crore Indians. They trust a certificate of quality.”

The Minister stressed that testing labs across the country must modernise and eliminate manual interventions, enabling automatic and transparent dissemination of results. “We would like all our laboratories to get accredited not for one or two products or one or two processes but the entire laboratory should get accredited by different arms of Quality Council of India so that any finished result comes with trust,” he said.

He also called for a transition to third-party certification. “Gradually we are more and more promoting third-party certification but we do appeal that the third party should not let down the trust. Every testing agency has to assure highest standards of testing because the nation trusts you,” he stated.

To make certification more accessible, he added, “We are trying to bring down all the testing fees charged by everyone—BIS and NTH labs—down to 50 percent of what was prevailing, and I hope the private sector labs will also follow.” He noted that economies of scale due to increased testing volumes would help make costs more competitive.

Appreciating SGS’s contribution since 1950, the Minister said, “Truly a good work that SGS has done in India since 1950. SGS has been a part of India's journey in the manufacturing sector.” He acknowledged SGS’s global legacy and said the company would continue to play a key role as India enters Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with Switzerland and other EFTA countries.

Highlighting the government’s partnership with EFTA countries including Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland, Shri Goyal said the recently finalised Free Trade Agreement will soon come into effect. “We have come together to expand trade, investments, work together for the shared prosperity of the people... These MRAs will stand on the strength of high quality testing, high quality inspection, high quality compliance and I am sure SGS will continue to serve this partnership,” he noted.

Unified quality standards to harmonise domestic and export benchmarks, expand accredited testing and promote third party certification. The government expanded Quality Control Orders substantially and is shifting policy toward a single high-quality standard for domestic and export markets, aiming to harmonise Indian standards with global benchmarks. Operational measures include funding for modern testing facilities, laboratory modernisation and comprehensive accreditation, promotion of third-party certification, reduced testing fees, and stakeholder engagement to support MSME quality upgrades and enable Mutual Recognition Agreements that rely on trusted testing and compliance.