Guwahati: The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) commemorated its 78th Foundation Day with a special industry gathering in Guwahati on January 6. The event focused on how standardization can enhance industrial growth and meet global needs. BIS Director Shouvik Chandra, who was present at the event, shared his views on the current challenges and opportunities and how BIS is shaping the future of industries in Northeast India and beyond during an insightful discussion with Business North East (BNE)
Chandra said the event marked a significant milestone in bringing together large and medium-sized industries from Northeast India in one location.
“The goal of this industry gathering was to create a platform where industry leaders could share their challenges with us, particularly in sectors such as gas, electronics, steel and water,” he said, highlighting the purpose of the meet.
“As India’s national standards organization, BIS is essential in creating national standards, issuing licenses and managing various programs that help industries with development and quality control,” Chandra told BNE when asked about BIS’s involvement in standardization.
He also emphasized the importance of key industries such as gas, electrical equipment, electronics, water and steel, which are at the forefront of BIS’s focus in the Northeast. He said these industries are crucial to the region’s economic development and that BIS’s certifications help ensure their competitiveness in global markets.
“We are proud to support vital sectors that are the backbone of Northeast India’s industrial landscape. Our focus on steel, TMT bars, gas, and electronics ensures that local industries can meet both domestic demand and international standards,” he further said.
Regarding the way forward, the BIS Director explained how BIS intends to continue supporting these sectors by nurturing a quality-focused ecosystem. He pointed out that one of BIS’s major achievements is to raise awareness among industrialists about the significance of standardization.
“We have noticed a positive shift in the perception of quality among industries in this region, and we have addressed their challenges and provided solutions that will help them maintain high-quality standards,” the head of BIS Guwahati said.
"Our initiatives to promote quality awareness benefit consumers as well, ensuring they have access to certified, high-quality products,” the BIS Director added.
Despite its achievements, BIS faces significant challenges in expanding public awareness of its work. Shouvik Chandra identified these challenges, particularly the need to overcome traditional communication barriers and make BIS’s services more accessible to both industries and consumers.
“One of the major hurdles we have encountered is breaking down traditional communication and access barriers. However, in today’s digital age, the internet and artificial intelligence are powerful tools. To make our services more accessible, we developed the BIS Care app,” he further explained.
Moreover, this app will allow consumers and industries to easily verify BIS-certified products with just a click of a button and bridge the gap between certification processes and end-users. The app is part of a broader digital strategy designed to go beyond traditional methods and facilitate the adoption of international standards by industries. Chandra also highlighted that BIS has revised its standards to align with contemporary global practices, helping Indian industries stay competitive. “Over the years, we have moved away from conventional testing methods and production techniques,” the Director said.
“Our standards now incorporate cutting-edge global technologies, enabling industries to create intelligent, high-quality products. We ensure that globally used technologies are available to Indian industries through our standards, allowing them to remain competitive internationally,” he added.
“We’ve transformed how industries perceive quality and have created new avenues for them to explore,” he remarked while sharing his vision for the future, which centres on challenging conventional thinking and adopting a more advanced, global perspective on manufacturing and standardization. “Our goal is to empower industries to take the lead in building a strong quality ecosystem in India.”
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Reflecting on BIS’s ongoing initiatives in Northeast India, Chandra noted the region’s increasing alignment with national and international quality benchmarks. He expressed confidence that this alignment would create opportunities for enhanced economic development and sustainability in the region.
“We are seeing an increasing number of industries in Northeast India adopting quality standards, which bodes well for the region’s economic outlook,” Chandra said while taking pride in the regional contributions made by BIS. As the Director and BIS Guwahati Head, he emphasized the importance of its role in fostering economic growth and sustainability in Northeast India, which is increasingly aligning with national and global quality standards.
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