The Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises Issues Automobile Wheel rim component (Quality Control) Order, 2020 in April 2020. This order is applicable to Wheel Rim Category 2W,3W, e-rickshaw and e-car which are not to be exported. It Shall apply only Domestically, including Importers. the Regulatory Authority for the purpose of the said order is the Bureau of Indian Standard. Goods or articles specified in the order must conform to the corresponding Indian Standards. This order will come into force from October 01, 2020. Ensuring road safety While the proposed move is important to ensure greater road safety, it is also in line with the Centre’s stated policy of formulating technical regulations such as safety and quality standards for over 350 products to curb imports of non-essential items. As per the draft quality order, for all wheel rims used in two-wheelers, three-wheelers, e- rickshaws, e-carts, passenger cars, trucks and buses, the BIS should be the certifying agency for the given Indian standards.
- IS: 16192 (Part 1): Automotive Vehicles — Wheel Rims for Two and Three, Wheeled Vehicles, Part 1 Light Alloy Wheel Rims — Method of Tests and Requirements.
- IS. 16192 (Part 2): Automotive Vehicles — Wheel Rims for Two and Three Wheeled Vehicles, Part 2 Sheet Metal Wheel Rims — Method of Tests and Requirements.
- IS. 16192 (Part 3): Automotive Vehicles — Wheel Rims for Two and Three Wheeled Vehicles, Part 3 Spoke Wheel Rims — Method of Tests and Requirements.
- IS: 9436: Performance Requirements and Methods of Tests for Wheels for Passenger Cars.
- IS: 9438: Performance Requirements and Methods of Tests for Wheels/ Rims for Trucks and Buses.
The Indian government has drawn up appropriate quality standards for vehicle rims in order to restrict inferior imports and promote the local industry. The draft, entitled “Automobile Wheel Rim Component (Quality Control)”, presented by the Indian Ministry of Industry, Heavy Industry Department, stipulates that from October 1, 2020, all rims and imports offered in India must be certified in accordance with the BIS standard. In addition, the Ministry has sent the draft to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and is awaiting comments from member countries within the next 30 days. The new regulation is intended to improve road safety. In line with this, the government is in the process of revising the technical specifications of another 350 products to increase safety and quality, restrict imports and promote local production. According to a government spokesman, suppliers are to be discouraged from buying imported products and instead use Indian products from the “Make in India” campaign. The draft for quality control of rims includes products for two- wheelers, three-wheelers, electrically powered vehicles, passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is responsible for the certification and implementation of the new quality standards.
