India hosted the International Committee of Legal Metrology meeting for the first time on October 26, 2026, as Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare called for globally harmonised measurement standards to support fair trade and consumer confidence.

Key Takeaways

  • About 70 delegates from 32 member states attended the three-day meeting.
  • Khare said India needs to keep its measurement framework updated as new instruments enter household and commercial use.
  • Delegates discussed electric vehicle charging equipment, digital standards and the use of artificial intelligence in measurement.

Why measurement standards matter for trade

Speaking at the opening session, Khare said accurate measurements can help prevent measurement requirements from becoming barriers to trade. She said hosting the meeting gives Indian legal metrology officials direct exposure to global developments.

Khare also pointed to India’s recognition as an issuing authority under the OIML Certification System. She said the status would help test results gain international acceptance and give Indian manufacturers access to global markets.

India outlines regulatory and technology initiatives

Khare said the Jan Vishwas reforms of 2023 and 2026 decriminalised specified offences and introduced improvement notices and graded penalties. She also highlighted the expansion of government-approved test centres and the e-Maap portal for digital legal metrology services.

Among the initiatives discussed was the National Time Dissemination Project, which aims to provide accurate and traceable Indian Standard Time nationwide. Khare said it is expected to improve time synchronisation across services including banking, telecommunications, navigation and power systems.

Participants also considered mutual recognition of conformity assessments and an initiative to develop machine-readable technical standards.

Next milestone

The OIML Strategy Workshop and the meeting’s second session are scheduled for October 27, followed by a delegate visit to the CSIR-National Physical Laboratory on October 28.

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