In a significant regulatory development, the Government of India has officially withdrawn the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024, bringing a major shift in the compliance landscape for manufacturers and importers. This important update was announced through a Ministry of Heavy Industries notification issued in January 2026, under the provisions of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016.

As per the latest BIS regulation update of January 2026, the Central Government has rescinded the earlier safety order with immediate effect, citing public interest. The withdrawn regulation was originally notified in August 2024 and aimed to introduce a comprehensive, omnibus-level technical safety framework for machinery and electrical equipment. However, through this new notification, the government has formally confirmed that the Omnibus Technical Regulation has been withdrawn, and it no longer holds legal applicability.

This development is particularly important for machinery manufacturers, electrical equipment producers, importers, and foreign manufacturers operating under India’s regulatory framework, as it directly impacts ongoing and future compliance obligations. The decision by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to rescind the order reflects a notable policy shift and highlights the evolving nature of technical regulations in India’s industrial sector.

Also Read: Omnibus Technical Regulation Order 2024

What Is the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024?

The Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety Order 2024 was a regulatory framework introduced by the Government of India to enhance safety, quality, and standardization across machinery and electrical products placed in the Indian market. Commonly referred to as the Omnibus Technical Regulation India, this order was issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries under the powers granted by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Act, 2016.

The primary objective of the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024 was to create a unified safety compliance mechanism for a wide range of machinery and electrical equipment. Instead of regulating products through scattered or product-specific rules, the government aimed to introduce a consolidated framework that would ensure consistent BIS safety regulations for machinery and structured electrical equipment compliance in India.

This order was intended to regulate machinery and electrical equipment by mandating adherence to relevant Indian Standards (IS) and internationally aligned safety norms. Manufacturers and importers were expected to assess risks during product design, ensure safe operation and installation, and demonstrate compliance through recognized BIS conformity assessment procedures. The regulation was particularly significant for high-risk industrial machinery, electrical assemblies, and equipment used in commercial and manufacturing environments.

By introducing the Omnibus Technical Regulation , the government sought to reduce accidents caused by unsafe machinery, improve product reliability, and align Indian safety practices with global regulatory benchmarks. The order also aimed to bring clarity for domestic manufacturers, importers, and foreign suppliers by defining uniform safety expectations under a single regulatory umbrella.

Also Read: Safety Regulations for Machinery and Electrical Equipment

Latest Government Notification: Order Officially Rescinded in 2026

The withdrawal of the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety framework was formally announced through an official S.O. 239(E) notification, issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and published in the Gazette of India in January 2026. This notification marks the government’s authoritative decision to rescind the earlier Omnibus Technical Regulation related to machinery and electrical equipment safety.

The Ministry of Heavy Industries order, dated 14 January 2026, was issued by the Central Government in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 16 of the BIS Act, 2016. Through this notification, the government explicitly cancelled the earlier notification S.O. 3649(E) dated 28 August 2024, which had introduced the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024.

As published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, the order clearly states that the rescission is effective immediately, meaning that the 2024 safety order ceased to have legal applicability from the date of issuance of the new notification. The government cited public interest as the basis for withdrawing the regulation, reinforcing the official and binding nature of this regulatory update.

This BIS regulation update of January 2026 serves as the definitive confirmation that the Omnibus Technical Regulation governing machinery and electrical equipment safety is no longer in force, unless replaced or reintroduced through a fresh notification in the future.

The Official S.O. 239(E) notification, issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and published in the Gazette of India in January 2026.

Also Read: Complete guide of BIS Scheme X Certifications

Key Highlights of the New Notification (January 2026)

• Previous Order Cancelled: The Government of India has officially cancelled the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024, through a new notification issued in January 2026.

• Immediate Effect: As stated in the notification, the withdrawal of the machinery safety order is effective immediately from 14 January 2026, with no transition or grace period.

• Issued in Public Interest: The decision was taken by the Central Government in public interest, as exercised under the provisions of the BIS Act, 2016, reinforcing the authority of the notification.

• No Replacement Order Announced Yet: As of now, no new or alternative machinery safety regulation has been announced to replace the withdrawn Omnibus Technical Regulation, creating a temporary regulatory gap in the machinery sector.

These key highlights of the machinery safety notification reflect an important regulatory change in the machinery sector, and the government notification summary confirms that the earlier safety framework no longer applies unless a fresh order is introduced.

From Which Date Is the Machinery Safety Order Withdrawn?

The machinery safety order effective date of withdrawal is 14 January 2026. As per the latest government notification issued by the Ministry of Heavy Industries, the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024 was rescinded with immediate effect.

14 January 2026 is the decisive date from which the earlier machinery safety regulation ceased to have legal force.

Why Did the Government Withdraw the Omnibus Technical Regulation?

While the official notification does not list detailed reasons, the decision to rescind the order reflects a broader government policy change in the machinery sector. Several practical and regulatory factors are widely understood to have influenced why the machinery safety order was rescinded, particularly from an implementation and compliance standpoint.

Key Factors Behind the Withdrawal :

• Industry Feedback and Practical Concerns : One of the major reasons behind the withdrawal was extensive industry feedback highlighting challenges in implementing a single omnibus regulation for a highly diverse range of machinery and electrical equipment. Manufacturers and importers raised concerns about interpretation, applicability, and uniform enforcement across different product categories.

• Implementation Complexity : The Omnibus Technical Regulation attempted to regulate multiple types of machinery under a common framework. However, the complexity of mapping diverse products to multiple safety standards created regulatory challenges in the machinery sector, especially for small and mid-sized manufacturers and foreign suppliers.

• Overlapping BIS and QCO Requirements : Another critical factor was the overlap between the Omnibus Technical Regulation and existing BIS safety regulations and product-specific Quality Control Orders (QCOs). In several cases, products were already subject to mandatory BIS certification, leading to duplication of compliance obligations and uncertainty regarding conformity assessment pathways.

• Need for a More Structured Regulatory Approach : The withdrawal suggests that the government may be reassessing how machinery safety should be regulated possibly favoring product-specific regulations or phased implementation rather than a broad, one-size-fits-all framework.

Overall, this regulatory move indicates a strategic shift toward simplifying compliance, reducing ambiguity, and addressing genuine regulatory challenges in the machinery sector, while keeping the door open for a more refined safety framework in the future.

Impact on Manufacturers, Importers, and Foreign Companies

The withdrawal of the Machinery and Electrical Equipment Safety (Omnibus Technical Regulation) Order, 2024 has a direct and practical impact on machinery manufacturers, importers, and foreign companies involved in supplying machinery and electrical equipment to the Indian market. While the Omnibus framework has been rescinded, businesses must still carefully evaluate their compliance responsibilities under existing laws.

Impact on Domestic Machinery Manufacturers

For domestic manufacturers, the immediate effect is the removal of the additional compliance layer introduced by the Omnibus Technical Regulation. This reduces short-term regulatory pressure and uncertainty related to conformity assessment under a unified framework. However, manufacturers must continue to comply with existing BIS standards, product-specific Quality Control Orders (QCOs), and safety regulations applicable to their machinery. The withdrawal does not eliminate general product safety obligations under Indian law.

Impact on Importers of Machinery into India

For businesses involved in the import of machinery into India, the rescission simplifies entry requirements that were expected under the Omnibus regulation. Importers are no longer required to align shipments with the withdrawn safety order. That said, importers must still verify whether their products are covered under mandatory BIS certification, QCOs, or other sector-specific regulations. Customs and market surveillance authorities may continue to enforce applicable standards independently of the withdrawn order.

Impact on Foreign Manufacturers and FMCS Applicants

Foreign manufacturers supplying machinery to India, particularly those operating under or planning to apply for the Foreign Manufacturers Certification Scheme (FMCS), gain temporary regulatory clarity with the withdrawal of the Omnibus framework. The absence of this order means that FMCS machinery regulations remain limited to product-specific BIS requirements, rather than a broad, overarching technical regulation. However, foreign manufacturers must remain vigilant, as future notifications or revised safety frameworks may be introduced by the government.

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