The Indian government has imposed new quality requirements for smartphone screen protectors; they will come under the mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) registration framework from April 1, 2027.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has modified the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021, adding smartphone screen protectors to the list of regulated products. The amendment was notified on September 21, 2026.
Under the new rules, screen protectors will have to conform to IS 19348:2025, the Indian Standard titled “Glass Screen Protector — Specification.” The requirement will take effect from April 1, 2027, giving manufacturers and importers time to comply.
This will also make sure the product is consistent with a market that currently comprises premium branded protectors and cheap and unbranded screen guards.
Importantly, the government is not banning all smartphone screen protectors. Products covered by the notification will have to meet the prescribed Indian Standard and registration requirements before they can be legally sold under the new framework.
The IS 19348:2025 standard sets out the specifications for glass screen protectors, including glass quality, strength and surface properties. It also covers light transmission and visible defects as well as adhesive, anti-shatter film, oleophobic coating, anti-glare properties, blue-light filtering and privacy films.
Packaging requirements are also part of the new framework. Product information such as the manufacturer's details, batch number and thickness will need to be provided on the packaging, according to reports on the notified standards.
The new rules could also lead to more consistency in the quality of screen protectors available in the Indian market as consumers will have to pay a price for their products. At present, consumers see very different quality of the products at different price points, but not only that, but also different durability, clarity, thickness, and other features of durable products.
The regulations could also affect manufacturers and importers, who will need to meet the relevant standard before the deadline for the products being produced and sold. BIS says products brought under compulsory registration or certification requirements must also meet the relevant Indian Standard once the government makes the requirement mandatory.
The new regulation is therefore expected to alter India's smartphone accessory market. Manufacturers who sell products that don't meet the guidelines will have to modify their products and testing processes or be unable to legally sell non-compliant products after the rules take effect.
For smartphone users, the change is likely to make quality and compliance easier to assess when purchasing screen protection. The transition period until April 2027 allows companies to get the necessary registration and bring their products into compliance.
The move is part of the government’s larger campaign to bring the most commonly used electronic accessories into formal quality standards. With smartphone screen protectors now included in the compulsory registration program, April 1, 2027, will also be a big day for the manufacturers and consumers in the mobile accessories industry in India.
