India to launch precise timekeeping project with Isro, NPL across 5 sites

India will soon roll out a project for disseminating precise Indian Standard Time in association with the National Physical Laboratory and ISRO from five sites across the country, Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Monday.

The announcement came as Joshi inaugurated the 89th General Meeting of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) here, where he said India is witnessing a "massive technological and industrial metamorphosis" with its manufacturing sector embracing automation and Industry 4.0.

"India today is witnessing a massive technological and industrial metamorphosis. Our manufacturing sector is embracing automation and process-driven precision to drive productivity," Joshi said while addressing over 2,000 global experts at the commission's inaugural session.

The precise timekeeping project will be implemented in partnership with the National Physical Laboratory and the Indian Space Research Organisation across five strategic locations nationwide, marking another step in India's technological advancement.

Joshi highlighted that India has emerged as the second-largest mobile phone manufacturer globally and is among the fastest-growing markets for electric vehicles and solar technologies.

The minister said the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has evolved from "being a technical regulator to becoming a true partner in nation building" over the past 11 years.

He noted that government initiatives like the National Green Hydrogen Mission, PM-KUSUM, PM Surya Ghar Yojana, and the FAME India Scheme represent "strategic roadmaps toward a cleaner, greener, and more self-reliant future".

India has become the 13th country worldwide to issue the OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) pattern approval certificate, marking a milestone in legal metrology, Joshi said.

The production-linked incentive schemes, mega industrial corridors and Semicon India Program are positioning India as a global hub for electronics and semiconductors, he added.

India is hosting the IEC meeting for the fourth time after 1960, 1997 and 2013, and will serve as Global Secretariat for Standardisation in Low Voltage Direct Current.

The IEC, established in 1906, develops international standards for electrical, electronic and related technologies through 30,000 experts worldwide.