Lok Sabha Question No. 4901 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-26
Subject: Strategy on Product Standards
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: C. MAHENDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4901 TO BE ANSWERED ON 26 th  MARCH,2018

## STRATEGY ON PRODUCT STANDARDS

## 4901. SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वािणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंत्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any strategy recently which will play an active  role  and  take  leadership  positions  in  apex  international  forums  in  related areas besides creating response mechanisms to global developments on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment practices that impact market access of Indian goods and services;
- (b) if so the details thereof;
- (c) whether it will develop comprehensive ecosystem for standards development taking into account diversity of interests and expertise available; and
- (d) if so the details thereof?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=ky; esa jkT; ea=h ¼Jh lh- vkj- pkS/kjh½

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a)  & (b): The Department of Commerce has been engaged in organizing various standards conclaves to address the issues concerning regulatory ecosystem in the country in a structural manner.  4  National  Standards  Conclaves  and  10  Regional  Standards  Conclaves  (in  states) have  been  organised  since  2014.  In  these  conclaves  various  stakeholders  ranging  from government regulators, inspection agencies, standards developing organizations, state governments and industry associations participate and strategise so as to address the issue of increasing  non-tariff  barriers  in  foreign  markets  as  well  as  situation  of  sub-standard  and counterfeit  imports  into  the  country.  During  the  last  National  Standards  Conclave  held  at New Delhi on 1-2 May 2017, a draft strategy paper titled 'Indian National Standards Strategy (INSS)'  was  discussed  and  now  a  draft  final  strategy  document  has  been  finalized  and  is available in public domain for public comments. Besides other key objectives like developing a comprehensive ecosystem in India for standards development, using standards as enhancer of competitiveness of Indian goods and services, adopting best practices in standardization, conformity assessment and technical regulations,  providing  level  playing  field  to  domestic industry and creating response mechanisms to global developments on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment practices that impact market access of Indian goods and  service,  INSS  identifies  having  proactive  participation  in  apex  international  forums  in related areas.

(c)  &  (d):  INSS  is  the  result  of  deliberations  over  a  four-year  period  from  2014  to  2017 through national and regional standards conclaves that attracted wide participation of experts and  stakeholders  from  Union  and  State  governments,  industry,  regulatory  bodies,  national and  overseas  standards  and  conformity  bodies,  academics  and  international  fora.  The available  standards  strategy  documents  of  other  countries  has  also  been  factored  into  this consultation process  so as to be in line with global best practices in this sector.

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