India’s MeitY brings AR, VR, and MR devices under BIS compulsory registration, mandating safety standards for XR products. The move boosts India’s immersive tech sector, ensures consumer safety, and promotes quality manufacturing. Effective May 1, 2026, manufacturers and importers must comply with the new regulations.
In a significant move, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has brought Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) devices, collectively known as Extended Reality (XR) products, under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) compulsory registration regime. This regulatory recognition is expected to give a major boost to India’s fast-growing immersive technology sector.
The revised rules, notified on October 29, 2025, amend the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021, to reflect the updated safety standard, titled “Audio/Video, Information and Communication Technology Equipment – Part 1: Safety Requirements”. This means that XR devices will now require BIS certification, ensuring they meet Indian safety standards ¹.
The inclusion of XR devices in the compulsory registration regime is expected to enhance consumer safety, promote quality manufacturing, and align India with global safety standards. Manufacturers and importers of XR devices will need to comply with the new regulations, which will come into effect from May 1, 2026.
This move is seen as a positive step towards regulating the XR industry and promoting innovation in the sector. With the growing adoption of immersive technologies in various industries, including gaming, education, and healthcare, this regulatory recognition is expected to give a fillip to the development of XR devices in India.
Would you like to know more about the implications of this move on the XR industry or the BIS certification process?
