The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has brought smartphone screen protectors under India’s compulsory registration framework, requiring covered products to conform to the prescribed Indian Standard from April 1, 2027. The move will introduce mandatory quality compliance for screen protectors sold in the Indian market.
Screen protectors added to BIS registration framework
MeitY issued notification S.O. 5190(E) on September 21, 2026, amending the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. “Screen Protectors for smartphones” has been added as Serial No. 66 in the schedule of products covered by the order.
The notified Indian Standard is IS 19348:2025, titled “Glass Screen Protector — Specification”. The requirement will apply from April 1, 2027, giving manufacturers and other market participants time to meet the applicable conformity requirements.
What the new BIS rule means for buyers
The new requirement is aimed at bringing smartphone screen protectors into a formal quality-control framework. BIS’s compulsory registration system for notified electronics and IT goods requires products to be tested for conformity before they can be registered for the Indian market.
For consumers, the practical change will come after the April 2027 implementation date, when screen protectors covered by the notification will need to comply with the specified standard. Non-compliant products will not be permitted to remain in the regulated market under the applicable registration framework.
The rule specifically covers glass screen protectors
The notification needs an important clarification: while screen protectors can also be made from polymer-based materials, the Indian Standard cited in this particular amendment is IS 19348:2025, whose title is “Glass Screen Protector — Specification”. Therefore, the government notification should not be described as independently establishing a BIS standard for every type of polymer screen film.
This distinction is important because the scope of a regulatory notification is determined by the goods and corresponding Indian Standard specified in the official order, rather than by the broader commercial use of the term “screen protector”.
Why the screen protector market is being regulated
India has a large and fragmented aftermarket for smartphone accessories, with inexpensive screen protectors widely available through physical accessory shops and online marketplaces. Business Standard reported that the Indian screen-protector market is estimated at Rs 12,000-15,000 crore and that Chinese products account for a significant share of supplies.
The new framework is intended to bring products in this segment under defined quality requirements and address concerns around substandard products and unregulated imports. The government has described the amendment as necessary or expedient in the public interest under the BIS Act, 2016.
Manufacturers and importers get time before enforcement
The compulsory requirement does not begin immediately. Products covered by the new entry will come under the amended order from April 1, 2027, giving manufacturers, importers and other businesses time to prepare for testing, registration and compliance.
For consumers, the immediate impact is therefore limited. The more visible changes are expected closer to the implementation date, when compliant products become the norm across organised retail and e-commerce channels.
