Pralhad Joshi, India’s Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, opened the 115th Foundation Day celebrations of National Test House (NTH) in Bengaluru, one of the world’s oldest institutes for testing, inspection and quality evaluation.
The National Test House has played an important role in India’s technical and industrial development with testing and analytical support in a wide range of sectors. The institution has developed along with India’s economy and technological capability over the past century, with laboratories and technical expertise that enable government agencies, industries, manufacturers and other stakeholders to objectively assess products and materials.
Pralhad Joshi, in the foundation day programme, highlighted the value of quality and reliable testing in the country’s development process. India’s domestic manufacturing and its competitiveness in global markets are at stake and institutions that provide credible testing and certification support are becoming more and more important.
The foundation day celebration also provided an opportunity to reflect on the long institutional journey of the National Test House. NTH has evolved over a century in terms of technical capabilities in response to changing industrial requirements. It is involved in both engineering materials, electrical products, construction materials, chemicals and other industrial products.
Quality testing is especially significant in today’s market because products entering the market must meet technical and safety requirements. Testing laboratories are used to confirm whether materials and products fulfill specifications and to make sure quality is achieved before products are made available to consumers or industrial users.
These systems can give a boost to consumers’ confidence in products they purchase. From electrical equipment and construction materials to industrial components, reliable testing will help to ensure that products are up to the right standards. So companies such as NTH, such as these government-backed institutions, could also help build the quality ecosystem.
Bengaluru is also very important as Karnataka is home to a vast and diverse industrial and technology sector; Bengaluru is one of India’s most important technology and innovation hubs and Karnataka is also a key manufacturing, engineering, aerospace, electronics and infrastructure center. Testing facilities will be a big help to companies in these sectors.
Testing institutions are also becoming increasingly important as India focuses on expanding manufacturing capabilities. Increasing domestic production and bringing Indian companies into the international supply chains will require manufacturers to meet international quality norms. Testing, calibration and technical evaluation can help businesses to comply with specifications.
The National Test House has been an active technical support agency for both public and private organizations since its establishment. The laboratories are able to conduct various tests and analyses to help stakeholders evaluate the performance, durability, safety and composition of different products and materials.
The 115th foundation day is both an anniversary of institutional heritage and an opportunity to think about the future of testing in India. Rapid technological changes are creating new requirements for laboratories. New domains like advanced materials, renewable energy, electric mobility, electronics and high-end manufacturing require special testing capabilities.
The growing investment in research and development in India also means the scientific infrastructure is crucial. Specialised facilities and personnel of technical personnel can help in bridging the gap between research, product development and commercial manufacturing. This will help companies and researchers to validate new technology and materials and can be very great innovation.
A second aspect that is really important is to have testing procedures that are internationally recognized and tested accurately. With international standards on the rise for Indian companies to get into foreign markets and international competition, international standards need to be met in the near future; international standards are of utmost importance. Reliable test results and well-known internationally accepted methods can be used by exporters and increase confidence in Indian products.
The foundation day also reminds you that good science and technical people are needed in a test facility. Testing facilities are only effective if the people doing it know how to do it. And for institutions like the National Test House to continue to grow and evolve and to be as relevant, they need to maintain constant training, technological development and knowledge sharing.
The government’s wider focus on quality infrastructure is in line with the objective of making Indian manufacturing more competitive. Better testing facilities can reduce dependency on overseas laboratories, shorten product-development cycles and allow manufacturers to access technical services in the country.
Building such infrastructure would be more beneficial for Karnataka as well. Bengaluru and other parts of the state host companies in electronics, engineering, aerospace, automobiles, biotechnology and other high-value sectors. Good testing facilities can help businesses meet regulations and speed up product development.
The event in Bengaluru is of higher importance than the anniversary alone. It underlines the relationship between science and economic development. Quality assurance and testing will be integral to India becoming a manufacturing and innovation hub, as it goes on.
The National Test House’s long history also reflects the industrial evolution of India. From a testing service in the first half of the 20th century, it has evolved into a network of technical facilities that can accommodate a modern economy. Its existence shows the need for specialised public science infrastructure.
The 115th foundation day celebration will allow to honor scientists, engineers, technicians and other professionals for the work they have done over the years. The work they do so in a secretive way ensures the quality and reliability of the products people and products are using in the community are high quality and reliable.
As India is investing in manufacturing, infrastructure and emerging technologies, the demand for sophisticated testing services is going to increase. New industries will need new testing methods and old sectors will still need proper evaluation and certification.
The National Test House will therefore be a crucial component in this transformation. Modernising laboratories, improving testing capabilities and adopting new technologies could help the institution respond to the needs of India’s evolving industrial ecosystem.
VIDEO | Union Minister Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) inaugurates 115th foundation day of National Test House in Bengaluru.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 29, 2026
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) pic.twitter.com/iv7VnEY44W
Pralhad Joshi’s inauguration of the 115th Foundation Day celebrations in Bengaluru is an important moment for the institution and highlights the continuing relevance of scientific testing to India’s economic ambitions. Quality, safety, technical standards and reliable laboratory services were stressed.
As India transitions for a future of innovation and manufacturing and global competitiveness, institutions like the National Test House could provide the technical base to ensure growth is backed by quality. It is this 115-year journey that has been an example of how scientific testing has been integral to India's development and that it still needs to be strengthened for the next 100 years.
