UK to recognise Indian testing bodies under trade deal

If you make or import toys, radios or lifts, you’ll know testing and certificates can slow a launch. New UK regulations now add India to the places where product testing and certification bodies can be based for the Great Britain market-but this only starts when the UK–India trade agreement enters into force. The treaty was presented to Parliament on 21 January 2026 and is not yet in force; a government notice will confirm the start date after ratification on both sides.

Let’s pin down the terms we all use. A conformity assessment body (often called an “approved body” in UK law) is a trusted organisation that checks products against safety and performance rules before they’re placed on the market. Think of it like an examiner for equipment: it reviews designs, inspects production, and issues certificates where the law requires them. The UK government’s own guidance uses “CAB” as a broad term covering these roles.

What is actually changing? The Statutory Instrument amends a string of product laws so an approved body can be established in the territory of the Republic of India. Until now, the same provisions typically allowed bodies located in the UK-and, following 2024 changes, in the territories of CPTPP partners-to be designated. This update adds India to that list so Indian organisations can be considered for UK designation on equal terms.

Why now? The change implements Article 7.7(9) of the UK–India trade deal’s Technical Barriers to Trade chapter. That article says each side should, where appropriate and consistent with domestic law, allow conformity assessment bodies located in the other country to participate in its procedures on conditions no less favourable than for domestic bodies. Importantly, the text also clarifies that no one is forced to accept test results from a body that hasn’t been accredited by that Party’s own accreditation system.

You’ll see the effect across familiar rules: toys and electromagnetic compatibility for electronics; simple pressure vessels and wider pressure equipment; lifts; equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres; non‑automatic weighing instruments; measuring instruments; recreational craft; radio equipment; personal protective equipment; and gas appliances. In practice, this means more potential testing options once Indian bodies are designated for these specific regimes.

Scope matters. These regulations extend to England, Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland continues to apply EU goods rules under the Windsor Framework, which the treaty text acknowledges when setting definitions and how the agreement interacts with existing arrangements. So, if you trade into NI, your product route may be different to GB.

Nothing changes until the agreement starts. Both governments still need to complete their domestic procedures. When that’s done, the UK will publish the start date and the GB rules will switch on for Indian bodies. For you, that means plan ahead but don’t tear up existing compliance schedules just yet.

What this means for students and small firms learning the system: this is a ‘who can do the testing’ reform, not a change to what counts as safe. Standards, essential requirements and enforcement stay put. The benefit comes from more choice and, potentially, shorter lead times or sharper prices when more qualified labs compete to provide the same services.

For importers and makers, a sensible checklist is to map your product to its GB regulation, confirm whether third‑party assessment is mandatory, and speak to prospective laboratories early about designation status and accreditation. Remember: a body must still be designated by the UK for the exact regulation and module you need; accreditation and independence rules continue to apply.

One final practical detail: the instrument is signed by Minister of State Sir Chris Bryant at the Department for Business and Trade. For classrooms and workplaces alike, that attribution is a reminder that technical rules live in politics as well as engineering-trade policy decisions directly shape who can test your product, and when.