India Hosts 61st CIML Meeting in New Delhi: Key Details

India is hosting the 61st Meeting of the International Committee of Legal Metrology (CIML) in New Delhi from October 26 to 28, 2026. For the first time in history, India serves as the host nation for this apex international conference governed by the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).

The three-day summit brings together over 100 international delegates, legal metrology experts, and policy architects. The inaugural day featured a seminar titled “Evolutions in Legal Metrology,” setting the framework for international trade harmonization and consumer rights protection.

Key Regulatory Concepts:

1. Legal Metrology: The branch of metrology that establishes statutory quality control over measuring instruments, units, and methods of measurement. It ensures consumer protection, fair commercial transactions, public health, and environmental safety.
2. International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML): An intergovernmental treaty organization established in 1955 to promote global harmonization of legal metrology procedures and technical standards.
3. OIML Certification System (OIML-CS): A global system for accepting and recognizing type evaluation certificates for measuring instruments. India became an OIML-CS Issuing Authority, enabling domestic manufacturers to certify measuring tools in India for international markets without re-testing overseas.
4. CSIR–National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL): India's National Metrology Institute (NMI) located in New Delhi, responsible for maintaining national primary measurement standards and disseminating Indian Standard Time (IST).

Key National Reforms Highlighted by India

Addressing the international delegation, Smt. Nidhi Khare, Secretary of the Department of Consumer Affairs, detailed major structural reforms enhancing the ease of doing business while safeguarding consumer interests:

• Jan Vishwas Reforms (2023 & 2026): Decriminalized minor technical offences in legal metrology, replacing criminal penalties with improvement notices and graded civil fines.
• Government Approved Test Centres (GATCs): Expands third-party verification infrastructure to accelerate the approval and calibration of weights and measures across industries.
• e-Maap National Portal: An integrated single-window portal delivering end-to-end digital services, online licensing, and verification workflows in legal metrology.
• National Time Dissemination Project ("One Nation, One Time"): Distributes accurate and traceable Indian Standard Time (IST) across the country via nanosecond-level accuracy. It provides precise time synchronization for 5G telecommunications, power grids, banking platforms, and defense logistics.

Digital Innovations and Emerging Technologies

Technical panels discussed OIML’s Smart Recommendations initiative, which develops machine-readable technical standards for automated digital compliance.

Experts evaluated legal metrology standards for electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, artificial intelligence applications in calibration, and mutual recognition of conformity assessment procedures to reduce non-tariff barriers to trade.

Summary Fact Sheet for Quick Revision