India Mandates Updated Safety Standards for all XR and Wearable Devices

For hardware manufacturers eyeing the massive Indian electronics market, the regulatory landscape for Extended Reality (XR) is officially maturing.

In a decisive move to standardize wearable technology, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) have issued updated compliance guidelines specifically targeting Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) products.

If you are an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) building headsets or smart glasses, a ticking clock just started: May 1, 2026.

The Regulatory Shift: What is Changing?

Historically, audio/video and IT equipment in India fell under slightly fragmented, older standards—namely IS 13252 (Part 1):2010 and IS 616:2017. However, as XR devices become more complex—combining high-density batteries, near-eye displays, and advanced spatial computing processors—regulators are pushing for modernized, unified safety protocols.

Following a MeitY notification (S.O. 4997(E)) dated October 29, 2025, XR products have officially been added as Product Category No. 65 under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021.

To regulate this new category, BIS has introduced IS/IEC 62368-1:2023. This standard closely aligns with international IEC benchmarks for the safety of audio/video, information, and communication technology equipment.

The Timeline: Concurrent Running and the Hard Deadline

According to the official circular (Ref: Reg/ IS/IEC 62368-1:2023/Guidelines/02) issued by the BIS Registration Department, the government is allowing a "concurrent running" period. This means both the old and new standards are valid temporarily, allowing manufacturers time to transition.

However, this grace period explicitly ends on May 1, 2026.

Here is how the transition impacts different players in the XR supply chain:

1. For Existing License Holders:If you currently sell VR or AR headsets in India certified under the old standards, your work isn't done. By the May 1, 2026 deadline, existing licensees must submit complete, updated test reports for all "lead models" from a BIS-recognized laboratory. Furthermore, OEMs must provide a formal undertaking confirming that all other series models under their license have also been updated to meet IS/IEC 62368-1:2023.

• The Penalty: Failure to complete these actions by the deadline will result in the cancellation of the license or the deletion of the non-compliant model from the scope of the license.

2. For New Applicants:BIS is offering a brief window of flexibility for new products entering the market. If you have already submitted samples to a lab under the old standards, BIS will still process them. Any new applications recorded between now and May 1, 2026, can technically be processed under the old rules—but the applicant must sign a declaration promising to upgrade to the new standard before the deadline. Unsurprisingly, BIS explicitly states: "New applicants are encouraged to apply as per IS/IEC 62368-1:2023" to avoid doing the paperwork twice.

3. Changing Scope of Licenses:If an OEM wants to alter the scope of an existing license (e.g., adding a new SKU or model variant), they can only use the old standards up until they officially switch to the new one, or until May 1, 2026—whichever comes first. After the deadline, absolutely no licenses will be granted or modified under the legacy standards.

The Industry Takeaway

From an industry perspective, this is a highly logical step. The global XR market has evolved rapidly from niche gaming accessories to enterprise-grade spatial computers and all-day wearable smart glasses. By adopting the IS/IEC 62368-1:2023 standard, India is ensuring that its domestic market enforces hazard-based safety engineering (HBSE) principles, which protect consumers from electrical fires, thermal burns from headset batteries, and optical hazards.

For major players like Meta, Apple, HTC, and emerging AR glasses makers like Xreal and RayNeo, this update won't necessarily require hardware redesigns—as these devices generally meet global IEC standards already. However, it will require immediate mobilization of their compliance teams to get devices re-tested and re-certified in local, BIS-recognized labs.

As the May 2026 deadline looms, XR manufacturers should view this not just as a bureaucratic hurdle, but as a sign that India is taking the spatial computing revolution—and the safety of its users—very seriously.