The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued a significant regulatory update through notification S.O. 2204(E) dated May 5, 2026, expanding the scope of India’s compulsory product certification framework. The amendment brings Standalone Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) under the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS), strengthening quality control and compliance requirements across a critical category of IT storage hardware.
The revised provision, effective from November 5, 2026, modifies Serial No. 50 of the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. The updated entry formally classifies the product category as “Standalone Hard Disk Drives” and subjects it to mandatory BIS certification under Indian Standard IS 13252 (Part 1): 2010, which governs safety requirements for information technology equipment.
Scope of Applicability
The notification clearly distinguishes between external USB-based hard drives and other standalone HDD formats. USB Type External Hard Disk Drives will continue to be regulated under existing compliance provisions without change. However, all other standalone HDD categories will now require BIS registration before being manufactured, imported, distributed, or sold in the Indian market after the implementation date.
This expansion covers a wide spectrum of storage devices, including internal HDDs used in desktops and laptops, enterprise-grade server drives, surveillance storage solutions, NAS systems, SATA-based drives, and OEM-integrated storage units used in computing and infrastructure deployments.
By explicitly widening the scope, the amendment ensures that nearly all non-USB HDD formats are brought under a unified regulatory and safety certification framework.
Commenting on the development, Sameer Bhatia, Senior Regional Director, India, Seagate Technology, shared his views in a LinkedIn post. He said, “India Draws the Line on Trusted Hardware. A landmark step forward with the official notification bringing Internal hard drives under BIS compliance. This is more than regulation — it is a clear line drawn. For long, the presence of used, second-hand, and illegal imports of hard drives in the ecosystem has posed risks to surveillance systems, enterprise infrastructure, and consumer trust. This move brings much-needed accountability, standardization, and confidence into the ecosystem.”
Compliance Under BIS
Under the BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme, products must undergo mandatory testing in BIS-recognized laboratories to verify conformity with Indian safety standards. Only after successful testing and approval can manufacturers and importers obtain registration to sell products in India.
For standalone HDDs, compliance will involve product evaluation against IS 13252 (Part 1): 2010, which focuses on electrical safety requirements for IT equipment. Manufacturers will also be required to ensure proper labeling, documentation, and adherence to BIS marking requirements.
This process introduces a structured regulatory checkpoint for storage devices entering the Indian market, ensuring uniform safety and quality benchmarks across brands and product categories.
Importance in the Digital Infrastructure Context
The inclusion of standalone HDDs under BIS certification comes at a time when India’s digital infrastructure is undergoing rapid expansion. Storage systems form a foundational layer of modern computing environments, supporting everything from enterprise workloads to public digital systems.
Hard disk drives continue to play a central role in surveillance infrastructure, cloud storage systems, data centers, banking systems, enterprise IT networks, and government digital platforms. Despite the growing adoption of SSDs in performance-focused applications, HDDs remain widely used due to their cost efficiency and high storage capacity, particularly in large-scale archival and surveillance deployments.
As data generation accelerates across sectors such as AI, fintech, e-governance, OTT platforms, and enterprise digitization, the demand for reliable and standardized storage infrastructure has increased significantly. The regulatory update directly addresses this expanding reliance on storage hardware.
Highlighting the importance of hardware integrity, Sameer Bhatia said, “At a time when data powers AI, digital infrastructure, and national security frameworks, ensuring the integrity of underlying hardware is absolutely critical. This step strengthens the foundation for reliable, secure, and future-ready deployments across sectors, especially Surveillance ecosystem.”
Impact on Manufacturers and Importers
The amendment introduces new compliance obligations for global and domestic HDD manufacturers operating in the Indian market. Companies will now be required to complete BIS registration before bringing standalone HDD products into India.
This will involve product testing through accredited laboratories, submission of technical documentation, and compliance with labeling and marking standards. Manufacturers may also need to adjust their product certification timelines and align India-specific compliance requirements with global supply chain operations.
For importers, the regulation adds an additional layer of verification before customs clearance and market distribution. This is expected to make compliance planning an integral part of storage product sourcing and logistics.
Reinforcing the seriousness of the move, Sameer Bhatia added, “The message is unambiguous; Trusted hardware is non-negotiable, Compliance is mandatory and Misrepresentation will not be tolerated.”
Effect on IT Distribution and Channel Ecosystem
The Indian IT distribution ecosystem is likely to see operational adjustments following the implementation of this regulation. Distributors, system integrators, OEM assemblers, and storage solution providers will need to ensure that all HDD inventory sourced after the compliance date carries valid BIS certification.
This will be particularly relevant for sectors such as surveillance, enterprise infrastructure, and data center integration, where storage devices are deployed at scale and often procured through complex supply chains.
Procurement processes are expected to become more compliance-driven, with increased emphasis on certification validation during vendor onboarding and product selection.
Sameer Bhatia also noted, “For the industry, this is the moment to align and lead responsibly. To those operating outside the system — the environment has fundamentally changed.”
Surveillance and Data Center Relevance
The notification has strong implications for surveillance and data center markets, both of which are major consumers of HDD-based storage systems. Surveillance systems rely heavily on continuous recording and long-term archival storage, making HDDs an essential component of security infrastructure across cities, enterprises, and institutions.
Similarly, India’s data center industry is expanding rapidly due to growing cloud adoption, AI workloads, and data localization requirements. These environments depend on high-capacity storage systems that can deliver scalability and cost efficiency, where HDDs continue to play a dominant role.
By introducing mandatory certification, the government is reinforcing quality and reliability standards in sectors that are critical to national digital infrastructure.
Alignment with Policy Direction
The expansion of the BIS CRS framework reflects India’s broader regulatory approach toward strengthening electronics manufacturing standards and improving product quality across the IT hardware ecosystem. Over the past several years, multiple categories of electronic products have been brought under mandatory certification to ensure safety compliance and reduce the entry of substandard imports.
The inclusion of standalone HDDs aligns with this structured approach to building a more controlled and trusted electronics supply chain in India. It also supports the broader objective of enhancing accountability across the product lifecycle, from manufacturing to distribution.
In his LinkedIn statement, Sameer Bhatia expressed his gratitude to the ministry, stating, “My sincere thanks to the leadership at Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology — Hon Secretary, Shri S Krishnan Ji, Joint Secretary Shri Sushil Pal ji and Scientist Smt Asha Nangia Ji and her entire team — for their clarity, conviction, and decisive action, and deep gratitude for their continued partnership with the industry.”
Transition Timeline and Industry Adjustment
The government has provided a transition period until November 5, 2026, allowing adequate time for manufacturers, importers, and channel partners to align with the new requirements. This window is expected to be used for testing arrangements, certification applications, supply chain adjustments, and inventory planning.
The extended timeline also enables global storage brands to integrate India-specific compliance requirements into their production and distribution planning cycles without immediate disruption.
Conclusion
The inclusion of standalone hard disk drives under India’s BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme marks a significant expansion of regulatory oversight in the IT hardware segment. As storage continues to form the backbone of India’s expanding digital ecosystem, from enterprise IT to surveillance and cloud infrastructure, the move strengthens the foundation of safety, quality assurance, and compliance in a strategically important category.
With this notification, India continues to reinforce its focus on building a standardized, reliable, and globally aligned electronics ecosystem, ensuring that critical technology components entering the market meet defined safety and performance benchmarks.
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