The draft Service Valves (Quality Control) Order, 2026 would make BIS certification with the ISI mark compulsory for service valves used in air conditioning and refrigeration. The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) circulated it for stakeholder comments in June 2026. It lists one standard, IS 19409:2025. It is not in force: it applies only once published in the Gazette of India, and then from six months after publication for most manufacturers.
The draft at a glance
| Item | What the draft says |
|---|---|
| Issued by | DPIIT, Light Engineering Industry Section, F. No. P-29026/5/2022-LEI |
| Status | Draft; comments were due by 13 June 2026; stakeholder consultation held on 15 June 2026 |
| Product | Service valves |
| Standard | IS 19409:2025, Service Valves for Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Purposes - Specification |
| Certification | ISI mark under a BIS licence, Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 |
| Date of application | Six months from publication in the e-Gazette; nine months for small and twelve months for micro enterprises |
| Exemptions | Goods made in India for export; up to 200 units a year imported by service valve manufacturers for research and development, not for sale |
| Existing stock | Licensed or applicant manufacturers can sell declared stock for up to six months after commencement |
Source: DPIIT request for stakeholder comments on draft Quality Control Orders, June 2026. The same notice covered four other drafts.
Where service valves fit with the existing AC order
Air conditioners and some of their parts already need the ISI mark under the Air Conditioner and its related Parts, Hermetic Compressor and Temperature Sensing Controls (Quality Control) Order, 2019: room air conditioners, ducted package air conditioners, hermetic compressors and finned heat exchangers. Service valves are not on that list. The draft would add them as a separate order with its own standard, IS 19409:2025, which BIS published in 2025.
What changes for valve makers and importers
- Each valve factory needs a licence. BIS grants Scheme-I licences factory by factory, after testing to IS 19409 and an inspection.
- Overseas factories apply under FMCS. Valves made outside India would need a licence under the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme, with an Authorised Indian Representative.
- Unmarked valves stop at the deadline. After the date of application, service valves cannot be made, imported, sold or stored for sale without the ISI mark.
- AC and refrigeration makers need marked valves. Buyers that fit service valves to their equipment will need to source from licensed factories.
How to prepare now
- Map every valve model to IS 19409:2025 by type and size.
- Gap-test one model of each type against IS 19409 at a BIS-recognised laboratory.
- Prepare the factory for a BIS inspection: in-house test equipment, calibration and quality records.
- Plan the application to start as soon as the order is notified, or earlier.
How Aaditech can help
Aaditech tracks draft and notified Quality Control Orders and alerts clients when an order is published in the Gazette. We run gap assessments against IS 19409 and handle ISI and FMCS licences for valve factories in India and overseas, including acting as Authorised Indian Representative. Our team includes former BIS Directors.