Welding Rods and Electrodes Quality Control Order Notification for Micro and Small Enterprises

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry has recently issued the Welding Rods and Electrodes (Quality Control) Order, 2023, which mandates compliance with Indian Standards IS 814:2004 for Covered electrodes used in manual metal arc welding of carbon and carbon manganese steel and IS 6419:1996 for Welding rods and bare electrodes used in gas shielded arc welding of structural steel. Effective six months from its publication date, this order requires manufacturers to ensure that their products prominently display the ISI Mark. Small Enterprises, as defined under the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Act, 2006, must comply within nine months from the date of publication, while Micro Enterprises have a grace period of twelve months. Manufacturers are required to obtain the ISI Mark through a license issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards, in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the Bureau of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Goods manufactured domestically for export are exempt from this regulatory requirement. Adhering to these standards is crucial, as failure to comply may result in penalties under the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016.