OREANDA-NEWS. Department of Commerce, Government of India in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB) and other knowledge partners is organizing the 3rd National Standards Conclave on 23-24 June 2016 in New Delhi. The Conclave will be inaugurated by Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman.

The objective of the two day Conclave is to bring awareness and prepare Industries, Central Government Ministries, State Governments, regulatory/standards setting and conformity assessment bodies on the growing importance of “Standards” in the changing scenario of global trade. The Standards Conclave is being held in the backdrop of diminishing importance of tariffs and rising influence of standards and regulation both in goods and services trade.

It must be recognized that the days of differential standards – low for domestic market and high for exports - are over and if the Indian industry has to survive and thrive, it has to adopt global standards. The Ministries/regulators/state governments have to also realize that their initiatives and schemes have to be built around global standards if they have to succeed in their objectives. A good standards regime shall fulfill the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister for “Zero Defect, Zero Effect” and Make in India campaigns. It would also help in preventing flooding of domestic market with unsafe/sub-standard imports at the expense of our domestic industry as well as consumers.

The collective endeavor has to be in creating an ecosystem where adoption of appropriate standards leads to a sense of pride and has in-built incentive for the Industry.