BIS cracks down on e-commerce giants amid India-US clash over online trade rules

India is ramping up enforcement against unsafe and non-certified products sold on e-commerce platforms, seizing thousands of uncertified goods from warehouses linked to Amazon, Flipkart, and other online marketplaces, the ministry of consumer affairs said in a statement on Saturday.

The crackdown, led by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), comes as India and the US remain at odds over regulatory flexibility for online platforms, with Indian authorities pushing for stricter compliance measures to protect domestic consumers.

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The BIS, which operates under the ministry of consumer affairs, has been conducting raids and subjecting consumer products to rigorous testing to ensure compliance with mandatory safety and quality standards. 

Products under scrutiny include domestic pressure cookers, hand-held blenders, food mixers, electric irons, room heaters, PVC cables, gas stoves, toys, two-wheeler helmets, switches, sockets, and aluminum foils used for food packaging, the ministry said.

Given the safety risks posed by substandard goods, the government has mandated BIS certification for these items.

Despite these regulations, BIS has found that several non-certified products continue to be sold on platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho, Myntra, and BigBasket, often without the legally required ISI mark or with fraudulent certification details, according to the statement from the ministry. 

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To curb this, the agency has conducted multiple search-and-seizure operations at e-commerce warehouses in cities such as Lucknow, Gurugram, and Delhi.

A 7 March raid at an Amazon warehouse in Lucknow resulted in the seizure of 215 uncertified toys and 24 hand blenders. A similar operation in February at an Amazon facility in Gurugram had led to the confiscation of 58 aluminum foils, 34 metallic water bottles, 25 toys, 20 hand blenders, seven PVC cables, two food mixers, and one speaker—all lacking BIS certification, it added.

At a Flipkart warehouse in Gurugram, operated by Instakart Services Pvt Ltd, authorities confiscated 534 uncertified stainless steel vacuum-insulated bottles, 134 toys, and 41 speakers.

Spokespersons for Flipkart and BigBasket did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

“We require sellers of all products to comply with applicable laws, regulations and Amazon policies,” said a spokesperson for Amazon.

 “We ensure our selection meets industry-accepted standards, and we develop innovative tools to prevent unsafe products from being listed. We take actions to maintain a safe selection for our customers, including removing noncompliant products, and outreach to sellers, manufacturers, and government agencies for additional information, when appropriate,” the Amazon spokesperson added.

Cases filed and notices issued

Further investigations following the raid linked many of the uncertified products to Techvision International Pvt. Ltd, prompting BIS to raid two of the company’s facilities in Delhi. 

Officials seized nearly 7,000 electric water heaters, 4,000 electric food mixers, 95 electric room heaters, and 40 gas stoves—none of which had BIS certification. The brands involved in the violations include Digismart, Activa, Inalsa, Cello Swift, and Butterfly, among others.

Following the seizures, BIS initiated legal proceedings against Techvision International under the BIS Act, 2016, filing two court cases for violations of Sections 17(1) and 17(3), the ministry said.

Under Section 17(1) of the BIS Act, the manufacture, sale, or distribution of products requiring a Standard Mark without BIS certification is prohibited, while Section 17(3) bans the unauthorized use of the Standard Mark without a valid license.

Additional cases are being prepared against other violators. The law prescribes a minimum penalty of ₹2 lakh, which may extend up to ten times the value of the goods sold. In severe cases, offenders can also face imprisonment for up to two years.

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To bolster enforcement, BIS has issued notices to major e-commerce platforms, directing them to ensure that only BIS-certified products are listed for sale where certification is mandatory, the ministry said.

BIS has urged consumers to use the BIS Care app to verify product authenticity and report violations. The app allows users to check ISI Marks, manufacturer license numbers, and file complaints about non-certified goods or substandard BIS-certified products, it said.