As of early 2025, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has made ISI certification mandatory for all plywood, including imported products from Russia, under the Quality Control Order (QCO). All Imported plywood must adhere to Indian Standards, such as IS 303:1989 (General Purposes) (BWR/MR Grade) or IS 10701 (Structural Plywood). The mandatory QCO for panel products, including plywood, became fully enforceable for imports by about February 28, 2025. Without the BIS license and ISI mark, shipments will not be possible.
All Foreign Manufacturers, must apply for a license through the Foreign Manufacturer Certification Department (FMCD) on the BIS portal, which includes, but is not limited to, factory inspections and product testing in authorized labs. Applicants must provide detailed technical specifications, including information on adhesive, veneer quality, and formaldehyde emissions (E1 standards). The Initial Certifications are valid for a year (validity date).
Birch Plywood which is highly popular in India, requires compliance to ensure it meets structural or general-purpose standards. This means that Russian manufacturers or exporters supplying birch or other plywood to India must obtain a BIS license to import and sell their products in the Indian market. The recipient list includes manufacturers from Nepal, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Russia. (The list may be updated further.)
As such, BIS certification has reshaped the Plywood imports into the country.
 
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