In India, the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986 (BIS Act, 1986) is the main Act governing the preparation and enforcement of standards for goods. It extends to the whole of India. It has been enacted to provide for the establishment of a Bureau for the harmonious development of the activities of standardisation, marking and quality certification of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Under this Act, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), being the National Standards Body of India, became functional as a statutory body with effect from April 1987, taking over staff, assets and liabilities of Indian Standards Institution (ISI). Since then, the Bureau has been actively and successfully engaged in promoting and nurturing the standardization movement in the country. It has been formulating need-based Indian Standards in line with the national priorities as a time bound programme.

The Act defines 'Indian Standard' as the standard (including any tentative or provisional standard) established and published by the Bureau, in relation to any article or process indicative of the quality and specification of such article or process; and any standard established and published, or recognised, by the Indian Standards Institution and which is in force immediately before the date of establishment of the Bureau. While the term 'mark' includes "a device, brand, heading, label, ticket, pictorial representation, name, signature, word, letter or numeral or any combination thereof".

Some of the salient features of the BIS Act, 1986 can be listed as follows:

• As per the Act, the Bureau has been assigned the following functions:-
  
  
• To establish, publish and promote 'Indian Standards' in relation to any article or process;
• To recognise as an 'Indian Standard' any standard established by any other Institution in India or elsewhere, in relation to any article or process;
• To specify the design and other particulars of a Standard Mark to be called the Bureau of Indian Standards Certification Mark;
• To grant, renew, suspend or cancel a licence for the use of the Standard Mark and to levy fees for this purpose;
• To make inspections and take samples of any material or substance to see whether any article or process in relation to which the Standard Mark has been used conforms to the Indian Standard or whether the Standard Mark has been improperly used in relation to any article or process with or without a licence;
• To establish, maintain and recognise laboratories for the purposes of standardisation and quality control of articles and processes;
• To undertake research for the formulation of Indian Standards in the interests of consumers and manufacturers; etc.
  
  
• Any person who desires to use a standard mark in relation to any article or process is required to obtain a licence. The Bureau shall, by order, grant, renew, suspend or cancel a licence subject to fulfillment of specified conditions and on payment of the prescribed fees.
• The Act prohibits the use of Standard Mark or any colourable imitation thereof, in relation to any article or process, or in the title of any patent, or in any trade mark or design, except under a licence. Even after obtaining a licence, the use of Standard Mark or any colourable imitation thereof, is not permitted unless that article or process conforms to the Indian Standard.
• The Act prohibits use of any name which so nearly resembles the name of the Bureau as to deceive or likely to deceive the public or which contains the expression "Indian Standard" or any abbreviation thereof without the previous permission of the Bureau. Besides this, any mark or trade mark in relation to any article or process containing the expressions "Indian Standard" or "Indian Standard Specification" or any abbreviation of such expressions, is also prohibited.
• The Act prohibits any registering authority to register any company, firm or other body of persons which bears any name or mark; or register a trade mark or design which bears any name or mark; or grant a patent, in respect of an invention, which bears a title containing any name or mark; if the use of such name or mark is in contravention of this Act.
• If the Central Government, after consulting the Bureau, is of the opinion that it is necessary or expedient so to do, in the public interest, it may, by order published in the Official Gazette, notify any article or process of any scheduled industry which shall conform to the Indian Standard; and direct the use of the Standard Mark under a licence as compulsory on such article or process.
• Any person who contravenes any specified provisions of the Act shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year or with fine which may extend to fifty thousand rupees, or with both