Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi announced that India has been authorized as the 13th country globally to issue OIML pattern approval certificates. This development is expected to enhance India’s international reputation and boost the export of weighing and measuring instruments. The announcement was made during the World Metrology Day 2026 celebrations, commemorating the 151st anniversary of the Metre Convention signed in Paris in 1875.
Joshi, speaking at the event virtually, emphasized the increasing significance of metrology in areas such as policymaking, consumer protection, trade, and industrial development. He highlighted the theme of this year, “Metrology: Building Trust in Policy Making,” stressing the crucial role of reliable and precise measurements in ensuring transparent governance and scientific credibility.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has strengthened India’s legal metrology verification infrastructure by granting 40 Government Approved Test Centre (GATC) certificates to eligible private entities. This move is a significant step towards expanding the country’s verification capacity. Joshi mentioned that the recognition from the International Organisation of Legal Metrology will bolster India’s global competitiveness in manufacturing weighing and measuring instruments, further supporting the “Make in India” initiative.
The minister also introduced the e-Maap portal, a unified digital platform for registration and enforcement-related services under Legal Metrology. This portal will streamline services such as verification of weights and measures, registrations, model approvals, and enforcement activities at both the Centre and State levels. Joshi highlighted various reforms implemented by the department to modernize India’s legal metrology ecosystem.
Under the One Nation, One Time initiative, the government aims to disseminate Indian Standard Time (IST) across the country with high precision through RRSLs. Joshi mentioned that minor offences have been decriminalized under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2026, and improvement notices have been introduced for minor violations. The government has also transitioned from a licensing-based system to a registration-based one to enhance the ease of doing business. Technological advancements in the sector include the establishment of software testing facilities for weighing and measuring instruments at Regional Reference Standard Laboratories in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing to improve domestic manufacturing capabilities.
