The Government of India has withdrawn the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024, removing the proposed mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification requirement for a broad range of machinery and plant equipment with immediate effect. The withdrawal cancels the planned enforcement that was scheduled to begin on 1 September 2026 and directly affects manufacturers, exporters, and importers of machinery into India.
The decision was issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and notified through a gazette notification dated 16 January 2026. In an official statement, the ministry said the Omnibus Technical Regulation Order was repealed under Section 16 of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016, on grounds of public interest. The order would have introduced mandatory certification under BIS Scheme X for machinery and electrical equipment, covering products classified under HS Chapters 84 and 85.
With the repeal now in force, complete machinery and plant equipment are no longer subject to certification requirements specifically under the withdrawn Omnibus Technical Regulation framework. The removal of the order means that companies are not required to obtain BIS Scheme X certification for machinery on the basis of this regulation, and the compliance obligations planned for September 2026 will no longer apply.
The withdrawal has an immediate impact on ongoing compliance and certification projects. Companies that had initiated testing, documentation, audits, or certification processes linked solely to the Omnibus Technical Regulation may pause or discontinue those activities, as the legal basis for the requirement has been removed. The change follows a period of repeated adjustments to timelines and implementation details related to machinery safety certification in India.
However, existing certification and compliance obligations remain unchanged. Mandatory BIS certification requirements notified through existing Quality Control Orders continue to apply for specific products, components, and spare parts. Certification schemes under BIS Scheme I and Scheme II remain fully in force wherever applicable, and manufacturers are still required to ensure compliance for regulated items supplied to the Indian market.
Industry participants are therefore expected to review shipments and product classifications carefully to determine whether individual components or electrical items fall under existing mandatory standards. The withdrawal of the Omnibus Technical Regulation does not affect other applicable laws, technical regulations, or safety requirements governing machinery and industrial equipment in India.
While the repeal removes a significant near-term regulatory requirement for machinery suppliers, the government has not indicated whether a revised or phased machinery safety framework may be introduced in the future. Until any new regulation is formally notified, compliance obligations are limited to existing BIS Quality Control Orders and other applicable statutory requirements.
The withdrawal of the BIS Scheme X certification requirement for machinery is positive for overseas machinery manufacturers as it removes a planned India-specific compliance layer that would have applied in addition to existing conformity frameworks. The decision reduces regulatory costs, avoids duplicate testing and factory audits, and shortens market-entry timelines for exports to India, particularly for customised and long-cycle capital equipment projects. It also lowers regulatory uncertainty for contract negotiations and project planning, while maintaining access to the Indian market for complete machinery, even as existing BIS requirements for regulated components and other applicable laws continue to apply.
The Bureau of Indian Standards remains responsible for administering India’s product certification framework, including enforcement of notified standards and certification schemes. Manufacturers and importers supplying machinery and components to India are expected to continue monitoring regulatory developments and ensure ongoing compliance with all applicable requirements.