The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released a notification on September 21, mandating that all manufacturers and importers of smartphone screen protectors must register their products with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under IS 19348:2025. The rule, which now makes screen protectors the 66th item to be regulated, sets a compliance deadline of April 2027. This follows earlier mandates for smartphones, laptops and LED TVs. Consumers will soon be able to spot the BIS hallmark on every glass guard they buy.
IS 19348:2025 spells out minimum glass thickness, impact absorption, scratch resistance, anti‑shatter layers, oleophobic and blue‑light coatings. Manufacturers must submit samples for lab testing and display the standard mark on the packaging, which will include batch numbers and manufacturing dates.
Analysts say certification costs—lab tests, paperwork and fees—will lift the average retail price of basic screen protectors by 10–15%. The domestic market for tempered glass sits at 400 million units, worth ₹20 000 crore in 2025.
Optiemus Infracom’s chairman Ashok Gupta said the company will add 2 crore units of capacity to meet the new demand. "We are already scaling up production lines," he added. "The BIS mark will become a selling point for our customers."
Ravi, a 32‑year‑old shopkeeper in Jaipur, said he will need to re‑price his stock after the rule takes effect. "We’ve always sold the cheaper brands," he added. "Now I’ll have to explain why the price is higher and ensure the product is certified."
Manufacturers must start testing now, as BIS will open a certification portal next month. The government will monitor compliance through random inspections, with penalties for non‑compliance.