In an evolving world of technology, sustainability, and regulatory frameworks, standards and guidelines play a vital role in shaping industries and ensuring quality. One of the key institutions that ensures the establishment of such standards in India is the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Recently, on March 21, 2025, BIS issued an important notification with amendments to several Indian standards, covering areas ranging from environmental management to submersible pumps, butterfly valves, HVDC converter stations, solar pumping systems, and many more. These updates provide important guidance for organizations and manufacturers to stay abreast of the latest advances in technology and environmental protections.

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What is BIS?

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the national standards body of India, established under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986. It plays a vital role in defining and maintaining product standards to ensure the quality and safety of products and services. BIS certification and registration are important for businesses that intend to sell products in India, as they guarantee that products have been tested and certified in accordance with the country's safety and quality guidelines. BIS certification is given to products that meet these standards, marked with the ISI logo. BIS registration is the process by which manufacturers and service providers register their products to ensure compliance with these standards. This helps maintain product integrity, promote consumer confidence, and ensure that only high-quality products are introduced to the market.

Understanding the Latest Amendments to Indian Standards

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has introduced important amendments to various Indian Standards aimed at enhancing the quality and safety of products and systems across multiple sectors. These amendments cover areas such as environmental management, submersible pumps, butterfly valves, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations, and solar pumping systems. The changes introduce significant updates to existing standards, ensuring that organizations remain aligned with global practices, address emerging challenges such as climate change, and improve the overall performance of the system. It is crucial for businesses and industries in India to understand these updates, as compliance with BIS certification and registration helps ensure the quality, reliability and safety of products, ultimately benefiting consumers and the environment. The following sections highlight the details of these amendments and their significance.

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Key Amendments to BIS Indian Standards

The BIS notification published on March 21, 2025, has introduced several key amendments to Indian standards. These changes are spread across various industries, including environmental management, water pumping systems, and electrical systems.

IS/ISO 14001:2015 - Environmental Management Systems (Amendment No. 1)

The first revision concerns IS/ISO 14001:2015, a standard for environmental management systems (EMS). The updated version introduces changes aimed at integrating climate action into the environmental management framework. Key changes include:

• Climate change relevance: Organizations should now assess whether climate change is relevant to their EMS and determine its significance.
• Stakeholder requirements: The update emphasizes that stakeholders (such as customers) may have specific requirements related to climate change, which organizations need to address.

These amendments highlight the importance of considering climate change within environmental management practices, a step towards ensuring sustainability in industries across India.

IS 8034:2018 - Submersible Pumpsets (Amendment No. 3)

IS 8034:2018 deals with submersible pumps. The amendment updates the equation used to calculate the efficiency of pumps, ensuring more accurate performance predictions. The modification modifies the equation for calculating pump efficiency (ηP) by incorporating new coefficients for the variables x and y, making the calculation and performance evaluation more accurate. This change improves the reliability and accuracy of submersible pumps, which are critical for water supply and other applications in industries.

IS 13095:2020 - Butterfly Valves for General Purposes (Amendment No. 2)

The IS 13095:2020, which deals with butterfly valves used for general purposes in various industries. This amendment introduces several changes relating to valve design and performance. The major changes include: 

• Nominal pressure coverage: The standard now covers valves with nominal pressures up to PN 4.0, including flanged and wafer-type valves in sizes from DN 40 to DN 2,000.
• Shaft design and leak-tightness: New shaft design requirements and leak-tightness measures have been introduced, including anti-blowout features and improved sealing mechanisms in valves.
• Updated test requirements: New requirements for valve position versus flow resistance curve have been added at buyers request.

IS 17591:2021 - HVDC Converter Stations with Line Commutated Converters (Amendment No. 1)

IS 17591:2021 is for high voltage direct current (HVDC) converter stations using line-commutated converters (LCC). This update is in line with the International Electrotechnical Commission's IEC TR 63127:2019 guidelines. The key changes include:

• Voltage level update: The standard updates the voltage level from “660 kV” to “1,100 kV”.
• New design considerations: This highlights the impact of renewable energy sources on the strength of the AC system, requiring new control systems and equipment such as STATCOM and CCC.
• Increased power rating: The rated power for HVDC systems is now set to “12,000 MW at 1,100 kV”.

These modifications improve the efficiency and stability of HVDC systems, which are important for the transmission of electricity over long distances.

IS 17941:2022 - Handpump cum Solar Pumping System (Amendment No. 2)

IS 17941:2022, which includes specifications for hand pump cum solar pumping systems. This update provides additional guidelines for building mounting structures for water tanks and solar panels. The major changes are as follows:

• Tank mounting structure: A new appendix provides guidelines for the construction of tank mounting structures using mild steel, designed to withstand wind speeds of 150 km/h.
• Removal of references: Some outdated references to previous IS standards have been removed, streamlining the document.
• Solar panel mounting: The guidelines include recommendations for mounting solar panels on tank towers, ensuring that they are placed at a height of at least 2.5 meters.

These changes contribute to better and more sustainable designs for solar pumping systems, increasing their effectiveness in rural and off-grid areas.

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Importance of the Amendments

The amendments introduced in the BIS notification play a significant role in aligning Indian standards with global best practices and technological advancements. The significance of these standards are:

• Environmental sustainability: Updates to IS/ISO 14001:2015 ensure that climate change is considered in environmental management systems, encouraging businesses to adopt more sustainable practices.
• Improved product performance: Amendments to IS 8034:2018 and IS 13095:2020 enhance the performance and efficiency of submersible pumps and butterfly valves, ensuring high reliability and safety in critical industries.
• Adaptation to technological changes: The revision of IS 17591:2021 ensures that HVDC systems can handle the increasing demands of renewable energy integration, a key step in the ongoing energy transition.
• Boosting the solar energy industry: Changes to IS 17941:2022 strengthen solar pumping systems, provide clear guidelines for their installation and ensure long-term sustainability, especially in areas prone to extreme weather conditions.

Conclusion

The BIS amendments published on March 21, 2025, mark a significant step in enhancing product quality, sustainability, and safety across multiple sectors in India. Key updates to standards such as IS/ISO 14001:2015, IS 8034:2018, IS 13095:2020, IS 17591:2021, and IS 17941:2022 reflect growing concerns about climate change, technological advancements, and the need for improved performance in industries like water supply, energy, and solar systems. These changes align Indian standards with global best practices, ensuring better environmental management, improved product efficiency, and enhanced safety. By adopting these standards, businesses can ensure compliance, gain consumer trust, and contribute to sustainable development, making these amendments vital for India’s continued industrial progress.