The central government is working on an action plan to offer incentives to industry and encourage them to upgrade all the technologies and wherewithal needed to match up with the best global standards, a senior official said here on Friday.
"This is part of our efforts to bring greater awareness among industry members and other stakeholders about the importance of 'Standards' in the changing scenario of global trade," Commerce and Industry Ministry Joint Secretary Sudhanshu Pandey said.
Addressing the Regional Standards Conclave organised by his department in association with CII and Export Inspection Council, Pandey said the government has identified about 400 products and is currently working on building mandatory standards for the items.
The bureaucrat said the whole process would take time since the exercise entails inter-ministerial collaborations.
Once the cabinet gives the final approval, and mandatory standards for the identified products are expected to be ready by 2016-17.
The mandatory standardisation of products that match international norms is necessary for creation of overseas market access for Indian exporters, Pandey said, adding it would also protect the Indian market from becoming a dumping ground of substandard products, including chemicals and food items.
