India is hosting the 61st Meeting of the International Committee of Legal Metrology (CIML) from 26 to 28 October in New Delhi, marking the first time the country is hosting this prestigious international meeting of the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML). The meeting brings together delegates, senior officials and technical experts from across the world to advance cooperation in measurement standards, consumer protection and fair trade.
International Seminar on Legal Metrology
The programme commenced on Monday with an international seminar on “Evolutions in Legal Metrology”, followed by the first session of the 61st CIML Meeting.
Dr. Bob Joseph Matthew, President of CIML, welcomed the international delegates and underscored the strategic importance of legal metrology in ensuring fair trade, protecting consumers and facilitating international cooperation.
Chairing the seminar, Ms. Renée Hansson, First Vice-President of CIML, Sweden, highlighted the evolving role of legal metrology in addressing digitalisation, emerging technologies and changing market requirements. She emphasised the need for harmonised measurement standards and closer cooperation among Member States.
Mr. Anthony Donellan, Director of the International Bureau of Legal Metrology (BIML), highlighted OIML’s efforts to develop internationally harmonised technical recommendations, facilitate the mutual acceptance of test results through the OIML Certification System (OIML-CS), and strengthen capacity building. He also highlighted emerging initiatives relating to machine-readable standards, artificial intelligence and digital transformation, according to a press release by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
India’s Legal Metrology Reforms
Addressing the gathering, Nidhi Khare, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Government of India, welcomed the international delegates and expressed pride in India hosting the CIML Meeting for the first time. She emphasised that accurate and internationally harmonised measurements are fundamental to fair trade, consumer confidence, industrial innovation and economic growth.
Highlighting India’s commitment to consumer protection alongside ease of doing business, the Secretary referred to the Jan Vishwas reforms of 2023 and 2026. These reforms have introduced measures such as decriminalisation of specified offences, improvement notices and graded penalties, promoting a more proportionate and business-friendly regulatory framework while retaining essential consumer safeguards.
She highlighted the expansion of Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs) to augment verification capacity and the development of the e-Maap National Portal to provide integrated digital services in legal metrology. She also referred to India’s recognition as an OIML-CS Issuing Authority, an important step towards facilitating international acceptance of test results and supporting Indian manufacturers in accessing global markets.
‘One Nation, One Time’ Initiative
The Secretary further highlighted the National Time Dissemination Project, “One Nation, One Time”, which aims to provide accurate, reliable and traceable Indian Standard Time across the country. The initiative is expected to strengthen time synchronisation in critical sectors, including banking, telecommunications, 5G networks, navigation, digital infrastructure and power systems.
Reaffirming India’s commitment to international cooperation, Khare stressed the importance of adopting emerging technologies and developing a transparent, efficient and future-ready legal metrology ecosystem.
-PIB Inputs
