BIS QCO for Bearing Components and Accessories: Complete 2025 Compliance Guide

First, the government brought bearings under mandatory BIS certification. Now, it has gone one level deeper - right down to the components and accessories that go inside and around those bearings.

Yes, you read that right. The Government of India has issued the Bearing Components and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2025, making BIS certification and the ISI mark compulsory for 8 categories of bearing components and accessories - including steel balls, ceramic balls, rollers, sleeves, locknuts, and plummer block housings.

If you manufacture or import any of these products, this article is for you. We'll explain what this QCO covers, the exact Indian Standards involved, the compliance deadlines, the penalties for ignoring it, and the smartest way to get certified before time runs out.

Let's break it all down.

A Quality Control Order (QCO) is a legal directive issued by the Government of India that makes BIS certification mandatory for specific products. Once a QCO comes into force, those products cannot be manufactured, imported, stored, or sold in India without conforming to the relevant Indian Standard and carrying the BIS Standard Mark (ISI mark) under a valid licence.

This particular order - the Bearing Components and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2025 - has been issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade) under the powers of the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 2016. Certification has to be obtained under Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 - the standard ISI Mark Scheme.

Now you might be wondering - when bearings themselves are already covered under a separate QCO, why bring components and accessories under one too?

The logic is actually solid. A bearing is only as good as the balls and rollers inside it. You can have a perfectly machined bearing ring, but if the steel balls inside are substandard, the bearing will fail - and with it, the motor, the vehicle, or the machine it's fitted in. The same applies to accessories like adapter sleeves, locknuts, and plummer blocks - these components hold the entire bearing assembly in place. If they fail, everything fails.

By covering the complete chain - from the finished bearing down to every ball, roller, and housing - the government has effectively closed the quality loophole. Substandard components can no longer enter the supply chain through the back door.

Here are the 8 bearing components and accessories covered under this QCO, along with their applicable Indian Standards:

1. ) Steel Balls for Rolling Bearings - IS 2898 (Part 1):2019 / ISO 3290-1:2014. These are the heart of every ball bearing. Used in automotive, industrial, and electrical applications in massive volumes.

2. ) Ceramic Balls for Rolling Bearings - IS 2898 (Part 2):2019 / ISO 3290-2:2014. Ceramic balls are used in high-speed, high-temperature, and electrically insulated bearing applications - think EVs, machine tool spindles, and aerospace.

3. ) Cylindrical Rollers for Rolling Bearings - IS 9202:2020. The rolling elements inside cylindrical roller bearings, which carry heavy radial loads in gearboxes, motors, and industrial machinery.

4. ) Needle Rollers for Rolling Bearings - IS 4217:2020. Thin, long rollers used where space is tight - automotive transmissions, two-wheeler engines, and compact machinery.

5. ) Bicycle Balls - IS 15184:2002. The steel balls used in bicycle hubs, bottom brackets, and headsets. India is one of the world's largest bicycle markets, so this directly impacts a huge industry.

6. ) Adapter Sleeve Assemblies and Withdrawal Sleeves - IS 16605 (Part 1):2018 / ISO 2982-1:2013. These accessories mount bearings onto shafts. Critical for proper bearing fitment in industrial applications.

7. ) Locknuts and Locking Devices - IS 16605 (Part 2):2018 / ISO 2982-2:2013. These secure the bearing assembly on the shaft. A loose or failed locknut means a failed machine.

8. ) Plummer Block Housings - IS 14347:1996. The housings that support and protect bearings in conveyors, fans, pumps, and countless industrial setups.

One crucial point to remember: the order specifies that the latest version of these Indian Standards, including all amendments notified by BIS from time to time, will apply. So your compliance must always track the current version of the standard - not the one from the day you applied.

And notice something important - several of these standards are harmonised with ISO standards (like ISO 3290 and ISO 2982). This means if you're a foreign manufacturer already producing to ISO specifications, you're technically closer to compliance than you think - but you still need the BIS licence and ISI mark to sell in India. ISO compliance alone is not enough.

Just like the bearings QCO, the government has given a staggered timeline based on enterprise size:

Large and medium manufacturers (general category): 6 months from the date of publication of the order in the Official Gazette.

Small enterprises (as per the MSME Development Act, 2006): 9 months from the date of publication.

Micro enterprises: 12 months from the date of publication.

On paper, 6 months sounds like decent time. In reality, it's tighter than you think. Here's why:

The BIS certification process - documentation, application filing, factory audit, sample drawal, lab testing, and licence grant - typically takes 3 to 6 months for Indian manufacturers, and even longer for foreign manufacturers applying under FMCS (Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme).

Components like steel balls and rollers also involve detailed testing - dimensional accuracy, surface roughness, hardness, material composition - and BIS-recognised lab slots fill up fast when a QCO deadline approaches.

Add to that the rush factor: thousands of component manufacturers and importers will be applying in the same window. The ones who apply early get smooth processing. The ones who wait get stuck in the backlog.

Our honest advice? Start today. Not next month. Today.

The order provides three specific relaxations:

R&D imports: Manufacturers of bearing components and accessories can import up to 200 units per year for research and development - without BIS certification. Conditions apply: these goods cannot be sold commercially, must be disposed of as scrap, and year-wise records must be maintained and furnished to the Central Government.

Export-only manufacturing: Goods manufactured domestically purely for export are exempt. But the moment the same products are sold in the Indian market, full compliance kicks in.

Extended MSME timelines: As covered above - 9 months for small enterprises and 12 months for micro enterprises.

That's it. There are no other exemptions. Every commercial sale of these 8 products in India will require the ISI mark once the order comes into force.

The Bureau of Indian Standards is the certifying and enforcement authority under this order, and any contravention is punishable under the BIS Act, 2016. The consequences are not symbolic - they have real teeth:

Fines that can run into lakhs of rupees, and in certain cases be linked to the value of goods sold. Imprisonment of up to two years for violations. Seizure of non-compliant stock - from your factory, your warehouse, or your distributors. Customs detention for importers - consignments without valid BIS certification will simply not clear the port. And the silent killer: loss of OEM and industrial customers, who will immediately switch to certified suppliers the day enforcement begins.

For component manufacturers especially, this is critical - because your customers are bearing manufacturers who are themselves under a QCO. They cannot afford to buy non-certified balls, rollers, or sleeves from you. If you're not certified, you're automatically out of their approved vendor list. It's a chain reaction.

Here's what the journey looks like:

Step 1 - Map your products to the correct Indian Standard. Steel balls go under IS 2898 (Part 1), ceramic balls under IS 2898 (Part 2), cylindrical rollers under IS 9202, and so on. If you manufacture multiple component types, each standard needs its own licence - so accurate mapping at the start saves serious time and money later.

Step 2 - Get your factory and testing setup audit-ready. BIS requires in-house testing facilities as per the applicable standard - think gauges for dimensional checks, hardness testers, surface finish measurement, and material testing capability depending on the product. Gaps in testing infrastructure are the number one reason applications get delayed.

Step 3 - Prepare documentation and file the application. Factory details, process flow charts, machinery and equipment lists, calibration certificates, quality control plans - all filed online on the BIS portal. Indian manufacturers apply under the domestic ISI scheme; foreign manufacturers apply under FMCS and must also appoint an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR).

Step 4 - BIS factory audit and sample drawal. A BIS officer inspects your premises, verifies manufacturing and testing capability, and draws product samples.

Step 5 - Independent laboratory testing. Samples are tested at a BIS-recognised lab against the complete requirements of the applicable IS.

Step 6 - Licence grant and ISI marking. Once reports are satisfactory, BIS grants your licence with a unique CM/L number, and you can start marking your products.

Step 7 - Stay compliant. Surveillance audits, market sample testing, and renewals are part of the ongoing journey. Consistent quality is non-negotiable.

hink about what happens when this QCO is enforced:

Every bearing manufacturer in India will urgently need BIS-certified steel balls, rollers, and accessories - because their own QCO compliance depends on a clean supply chain. Cheap, uncertified imported components will get blocked at customs. The supply of certified components will suddenly become scarce, while demand explodes.

Now ask yourself - who wins in that scenario? The component manufacturer who got certified six months early and is sitting ready with the ISI mark, or the one still waiting for an audit slot?

Early movers will capture OEM contracts, become preferred vendors for bearing manufacturers, and command better pricing. The QCO isn't just a compliance requirement - for serious manufacturers, it's a market-share opportunity dressed up as a regulation.

A free initial assessment to map your exact products to the right Indian Standards. Complete documentation preparation so your application sails through without objections. Factory and in-house lab readiness guidance, so you clear the BIS audit in the first attempt. Coordination with BIS-recognised testing laboratories. Full FMCS and Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) support for foreign manufacturers. And continuous follow-up until the licence is in your hand - plus support for surveillance audits and renewals after that.

Hundreds of bearing and component manufacturers trust Standphill India for their BIS compliance. The deadline countdown has begun - and every week you wait, the queue ahead of you grows longer.

Contact Standphill India today for a free consultation on BIS QCO compliance for bearing components and accessories. Our experts will give you a clear, customised roadmap - applicable standards, realistic timelines, complete costing - within 24 hours of your enquiry.

Call us now or submit an enquiry on our website. Get certified before your competitors do.

Standphill India - Your Trusted BIS Certification Partner for Bearing Components and Accessories.

This article is based on the Bearing Components and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2025 as notified by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Implementation timelines are calculated from the date of publication of the order in the Official Gazette. Readers are advised to refer to the official Gazette notification and BIS guidelines for exact dates and requirements, as amendments may be issued from time to time.