3D Printers come under the Printers category, one of the 15 categories that come under BIS gambit. So, by definition BIS Certificate for 3d Printers is required to be commercially sold in India. The Indian customs have already started detaining imported 3D printers citing this reason.
Following points will make you understand whether BIS Certificate for 3d Printers is required or no.
This is our opinion based on analysis and not a 100% guarantee.
The Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY) made it mandatory for all imported electronic goods to comply with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certifications. The decision was taken to regulate the flow of sub-standard electronic products into the country, some of which were also safety hazards.
India has taken this strict measure to curb the grey market and ensure consumers are not saddled with sub-standard goods. The grey market accounts for nearly 40 percent of the sales in the Indian electronics market. Thus the certification is a step to safeguard consumer safety as well as regulate unfair practices including low pricing and unbranded, unreliable products.
The Requirements for Compulsory Registration Order (RCRO), 2012 issued by the Department of Electronics and IT of the Government of India, makes it compulsory for 15 IT and electronic product categories to be compliant with the specifications of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Only BIS compliant products will be allowed for sale, manufacture and import in India in the 15 categories mentioned.
The RCRO is applicable to imported as well as locally manufactured products. If imported goods are not BIS-compliant the customs authorities can confiscate the shipments. The order allows the government to randomly select samples of registered electronic goods to ascertain whether these goods conform to the specified standards.
While 3D Printers do not explicitly fall under any of the categories listed under the RCRO, the nomenclature ‘Printer’ gives a vague implication that 3D printers have to comply with this new rule. The Indian Customs have already started detaining imported ‘3D printers’ at the ports of entry, citing this new rule. However, since the technology is new and at a very nascent stage in India, it still remains to clarify whether 3D printers come under the category ‘printers’ for the purpose of RCRO.
BIS certification is a welcome initiative by the Government of India to ensure that all electronic goods are safe to be used by the end user. However, lack of testing infrastructure coupled with the vast inventory of electronic and IT equipment being imported by thousands of vendors in India has made is extremely difficult for importers to timely get a BIS certification.
In view of the above, it is advisable that 3D printer manufacturers, especially those eying the India market, take cognizance of this rule and gear up to face the challenges posted by it.
It will be advised to one time buyers to avoid direct buying of 3d Printers from companies in China or online sites like Aliexpress or others, it would be preferred to buy locally so that you don’t fall under the issue of BIS and lose money.
Buying locally also has many benefits like After Sales Support, Warranty, Spare Parts availability, product is home delivery within a span of a week and obviously a goodnight sleep 😉
