GTRI flags compliance risk in new BIS quality regime; presses DPIIT for clear rules
Think tank GTRI warns the Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order 2026 — an alternative BIS pathway spanning toys, footwear, furniture, ACs and appliances — could create fresh bottlenecks for retailers and importers via committee-based approvals on 10 QCOs, with 60-90 day review cycles.
What happened
GTRI urges DPIIT to issue clear guidelines for new Transition Facilitation (Quality Control) Order 2026, an alternative BIS certification pathway covering toys,
Key facts
- 10 QCOs
- 60-90 days
Why this matters
Compliance-heavy regime favors scaled players; scout bolt-on testing, certification, and supply-chain partners that can absorb BIS friction and consolidate fragmented import channels.
What to watch
- DPIIT notification clarifying committee composition, SLAs or appeal mechanism
- BIS publishing application volumes or approval throughput data
- Any QCO deadline extension or exemption notification
- WTO TBT committee filings by EU, US, ASEAN trading partners
- Listed retailer/importer commentary on inventory days and import lead times in Q4 FY26 calls
- Port-level data on consignments held for BIS verification
- Map SKU exposure across the 10 QCOs and rank by import dependency and margin contribution
- File Transition Facilitation applications early for highest-velocity SKUs to claim queue position
- Diversify sourcing toward BIS-licensed Indian vendors for ACs, appliances and footwear soles
- Build 60-90 day safety stock buffers for Q1-Q2 2026 on at-risk categories
- Engage CII/RAI/FICCI to push DPIIT for published SLAs and committee transparency
- Reprice contracts with overseas suppliers to share compliance-delay risk