India - The Updated Requirements of Air Conditioners, Refrigerating Appliances and Storage Water Heaters

By Kongpob Rattanakornkun, India regulatory program expert

The updated requirements under Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) – BIS ISI Certification program

1. Air conditioners and its related parts:

On Dec. 22, 2020, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), which is responsible for the Quality Control Order (QCO) that will be mandated under BIS ISI Mark certification, issued the official gazette notification (Second amendment) to postpone of Quality Control Order related to air conditioners and its related parts, hermetic compressors and temperature sensing controls to Jan. 1, 2022.

Note: For the purposes of this table, the latest version of Indian Standards including the amendments issued thereof, as may be notified by the Bureau from time to time, shall apply from the date of such notification.

2. Refrigerating appliances and freezers:

On Dec. 10, 2020, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Trade (DIPP) issued the final Gazette Notification for the Quality Control Order (QCO) related to refrigerating appliances and freezers which will mandate these products under BIS ISI mark certification program starting on Jan. 1, 2022.

Note: For the purposes of this table, the latest version of Indian Standards including the amendments issued thereof, as may be notified by the Bureau from time to time, shall apply from the date of such notification.

The updated requirements under Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) – Energy Efficiency Labeling

1. Air conditioners

On Nov. 27, 2020, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) issued important instructions to notify all manufacturers and permittees registered under the Standards and Labeling (S&L) program for room air conditioners about an extension of implementation of revised energy consumption standard to Jan. 1, 2022 due to the adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the India air conditioner manufacturing industry.

Below is the summary based on BEE’s notification for reference:

• Background – Refer to Gazette notification dated Oct. 30, 2019 on pages 20-22. The existing energy consumption standards for room air conditioners are valid until Dec. 31, 2020, and the revised energy consumption standards are effective on Jan. 1, 2021, as originally planned.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, BEE decided to extend by one year the effective date of implementation of the revised energy consumption standard that was earlier to be made effective on Jan. 1, 2021.
• Accordingly, the existing energy consumption standard for room air conditioners shall be valid from Jan. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2021, while the revised energy consumption standards shall be applicable from Jan. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2024.
• BEE approval of all active models which are applicable until Dec. 31, 2020, would be extended automatically until Dec. 31, 2021, based on the continuation procedure.
• Permittees shall ensure that the BEE star label is affixed on each model of room air conditioners being continued from Jan. 1, 2021, should mandatorily contain the revised label validity period, i.e., from Jan. 1, 2018, to Dec. 31, 2021, if failing it shall be deemed as non-compliance with the applicable regulation for room air conditioners.

2. Electrical storage water heaters (Electric Geysers)

On Dec. 14, 2020, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) issued important instructions to notify all manufacturers and permittees registered under the S&L program for storage type electrical water heaters about the extension of implementation of revised energy consumption standard to July 1, 2021.

Below is the summary based on BEE’s notification for reference:

• Background – Refer to Gazette notification dated Dec. 24, 2018 on pages 16-17. The existing energy consumption standards for storage type electrical water heaters are valid until Dec. 31, 2020, and the revised energy consumption standards are effective on Jan. 1, 2021, as originally planned.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the existing energy consumption standards for storage type electrical water heaters shall be valid for a period of an additional six months starting on Jan. 1, 2021, until June 30, 2021, according to the amendment notification published in the Gazette of India on Dec. 10, 2020.
• Due to the extension of validity of the existing energy consumption standard, please note that the revised validity period of the sample label will be from Jan. 1, 2019, to June 30, 2021.

How UL can help

According to the BIS ISI Certification program, a test report under applicable Indian standards and issued by BIS-recognized laboratories is required for BIS ISI Certification. You can use UL’s test reports completed in our laboratory in India for BIS ISI Certification approval because it is recognized by BIS.

According to the Energy Efficiency Labeling program under BEE, the test report under applicable Indian standards is required for BEE registration. Testing services performed on these appliances in our laboratory in India are acceptable for the BEE labeling approval process.