The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution announced on 14 October 2026 that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has launched the BIS Silver Refinery Scheme. This scheme provides purity assurance and hallmarking for silver bullion and coins of three purity grades (999.9, 999.5, and 999.0 ppt) through licensed refineries and mints. Additionally, BIS released seven new Indian Standards covering areas such as electric vehicle charging cables and therapeutic footwear, and introduced a digital platform to make standards more accessible. The release does not say when the new standards take effect.
Key points
- Silver purity grades 999.9, 999.5, and 999.0 ppt are now eligible for BIS hallmarking.
- 7 new standards released for sectors including clean mobility, robotics, and healthcare.
- 6 new academic institutions joined the BIS framework to integrate standards into curricula.
- New 'BIS Digital Standard Reader' launched to provide interactive, translatable standards.
- Roadmaps released for sustainable agriculture and manufacturing.
When it applies
Counted from release of roadmap, dated 14 October 2026.
- National Celebration of World Standards Day 2026
- 1 year short-term standard formulation for sustainable agriculture
Who it affects
- silver refineries and mints
Refers to
- Indian Standard IS 2112:2025