Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi on Friday released a new Indian Standard for incense sticks aimed at improving consumer safety, indoor air quality and product quality.
The standard, titled IS 19412:2025 – Incense Sticks (Agarbatti) — Specification, has been developed by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and was released on the occasion of National Consumer Day 2025 at Bharat Mandapam here.
The newly notified standard prohibits the use of certain insecticidal chemicals and synthetic fragrance substances in agarbattis that may pose risks to human health, indoor air quality and the environment. Prohibited substances include insecticides such as alethrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin and fipronil, as well as synthetic fragrance intermediates like benzyl cyanide, ethyl acrylate and diphenylamine. Several of these chemicals are restricted or banned internationally.
The standard classifies agarbattis into machine-made, hand-made and traditional masala categories, and prescribes specifications for raw materials, burning quality, fragrance performance and chemical parameters to ensure safer products and consistent quality for consumers.
Products complying with IS 19412:2025 will be eligible to carry the BIS Standard Mark, enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. The notification of the standard is expected to boost consumer confidence, promote ethical and sustainable manufacturing practices, protect traditional livelihoods and enhance global market access for Indian agarbatti products.
The standard was formulated by the Fragrance and Flavour Sectional Committee of BIS following extensive consultations with stakeholders. Experts from CSIR institutes, the Fragrance and Flavour Development Centre in Kannauj and representatives of the agarbatti manufacturing industry contributed to its development.
India is the world’s largest producer and exporter of agarbattis, with the industry valued at around ₹8,000 crore annually and exports of about ₹1,200 crore to over 150 countries. The sector supports a large network of artisans, MSMEs and micro-entrepreneurs, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas, and provides significant employment opportunities, especially for women.
