India Extends Certification Fee Concessions to Boost SME Manufacturing

India's government plans to extend quality certification fee concessions for SMEs for three more years, enhancing its quality-first manufacturing focus. The Bureau of Indian Standards supports this extension. Challenges in quality compliance persist for SMEs, but industry commitment grows. Testing infrastructure development remains a priority, especially where private investment is insufficient.

In a push to enhance manufacturing quality, the Indian government is extending quality certification fee concessions for small and medium enterprises for an additional three years. This initiative comes as India emphasizes a quality-first approach to manufacturing, according to a senior official.

The Bureau of Indian Standards has proposed the extension, offering significant fee reductions: 80% for micro units, 50% for small enterprises, and 20% for medium-sized firms. Bharat Khera, additional secretary in the Consumer Affairs Ministry, announced these measures at a recent PHD Chamber of Commerce event, explaining that India needs to prioritize a culture-driven quality approach over merely compliance-driven standards.

As the digitization of certification processes progresses, challenges persist, particularly in sectors lacking mandatory standards. The government urges industry associations to actively participate in standard formulation and address testing infrastructure gaps, while the National Test House explores post-tour assessments of industrial clusters to identify critical needs.

(With inputs from agencies.)