India Considers Mandatory BIS Certification for Cosmetics

India is preparing to impose stricter quality standards on cosmetics to curb the import of substandard products, according to The Economic Times. Discussions are currently underway to draft Quality Control Orders (QCOs) for the sector, officials involved in the matter have disclosed.

QCOs are mandatory standards issued by the Indian government that mandate compliance with specified safety, quality, and performance criteria. Products covered under a QCO must obtain Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification for legal import or export. Non-compliance could result in severe penalties, including fines and sales bans.

Once implemented, the proposed QCO for cosmetics would shift regulatory authority from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) to BIS, marking a major structural change in how cosmetic products are governed in India. All cosmetics—whether imported or locally manufactured—would be required to comply with BIS standards. This development is expected to significantly affect India’s $21 billion beauty and personal care (BPC) market, currently the fourth largest globally and growing faster than markets in China and the U.S.

Industry leaders, while supportive of the initiative's intent, have raised concerns about potential regulatory overlaps. Dev Bajpai, advisor and former whole-time director at Hindustan Unilever (HUL), noted that cosmetic companies in India are subject to the Cosmetic Rules, 2020, under which over 30 categories of cosmetic products—domestic and imported—are already required to meet BIS standards.

In addition, the Indian Beauty and Hygiene Association (IBHA)—representing major companies like HUL, L’Oréal, ITC, and Marico—has called on the government to delink cosmetics regulation from pharmaceuticals, arguing that regulating beauty products under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act hinders industry growth and innovation.

As regulatory plans progress, cosmetic businesses are advised to closely monitor the development of the proposed cosmetic QCOs and prepare for possible compliance adjustments.