India is planning to simplify certification processes for high-tech manufacturers, including exemptions for semiconductor and auto components, as it seeks to boost investment and expand its role in global electronics supply chains, with an emphasis on strengthening ties with Japan.
India is preparing a framework to ease Bureau of Indian Standards certification for specialised equipment and components used by high-technology manufacturers, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said in Tokyo, as New Delhi seeks to accelerate investment in semiconductors and related industries. According to reports from The Economic Times and other Indian business publications, the plan could allow exemptions on a company, industry, product or project basis, depending on the nature of the equipment and the urgency of supply.
The move is aimed at reducing delays for firms setting up operations in India, particularly in semiconductor manufacturing, where access to imported tools and parts can be critical. LiveMint reported that the proposed relief is also intended to address complaints from Japanese companies about cumbersome certification procedures, while supporting the government’s wider “Make in India” push for advanced manufacturing.
Business Standard said the government is considering exemptions for high-tech firms, including Japanese investors, to ensure that equipment and components needed to build manufacturing facilities can enter the country more quickly. Goyal also told Japanese business leaders that the Centre would help companies navigate regulatory frictions at state and local levels, underscoring the administration’s effort to make India a more predictable destination for capital and technology transfer.
The policy discussion comes as India steps up its semiconductor partnership with Japan. LiveMint reported that Goyal urged Japanese companies to expand their presence in India by 2030, broadening the relationship beyond trade into economic security, defence, supply chains, technology, innovation and clean energy. Another report said a delegation led by the minister, including more than 200 business representatives, was expected to support new agreements and business-to-business tie-ups in semiconductors and electronics.
Separately, The Economic Times reported that the government is also working on changes to rules within two months to ease semiconductor and auto component manufacturing, part of a broader attempt to simplify approvals and build a domestic industrial base capable of attracting tens of billions of dollars in investment. Taken together, the measures suggest India is moving to pair incentives with regulatory reform as it competes for a larger role in global electronics supply chains.
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