Indian automakers must build ethanol vehicles

The Indian central government has long advocated the use of ethanol in road transport as an environmentally friendly alternative to fossil fuels. Previously, Nitin Gadkari, the minister responsible for transport and highways, had urged car manufacturers to introduce so-called “flex fuel” engines. The government will soon present corresponding guidelines and laws, the minister said. There is a determination to follow the example of Brazil, where the “flex fuel” concept allows drivers to decide whether to fill up with gasoline or ethanol, Gadkari said at an event. The technology, he said, is fully developed and available, and the switch to bio-ethanol vehicles an easy one. Within six months, the ministry will publish the relevant legislation. Growth in demand for relevant vehicles, as hoped for by the automotive industry, could lead to rising production figures. Accordingly, imports of parts and components that are partly subject to AIS approval would also increase.

The availability of ethanol will be ensured by opening new gas stations and expanding existing pumps. The price of a liter of bio-ethanol will be around 65 Indian rupees (€0.75), according to the ministry. As part of the rollout, 450 additional bio-ethanol production facilities are expected to be established. Current annual capacity is 4.65 million liters, with another 10 million liters to follow, to be blended with gasoline. The domestic oil and fuel industry is ready to sign 10-year contracts to process ethanol, he said. India also plans to introduce E20 fuel at all service stations nationwide by 2023. The ultimate goal of running on pure ethanol (E100) can only be realized after flex-fuel vehicles are introduced. In addition to reduced dependence on the global oil market and a better environmental footprint, ethanol will also be cheaper for drivers. Currently, 1 liter of gasoline in India costs an average of 100 Indian Rupees (€1.16) compared to the government capped price of 1 liter of ethanol at only 65 Indian Rupees (€0.75).

Vehicles with flexfuel engines are already available and widely used in countries such as the U.S., Canada and Brazil. Many of the car brands also have production facilities in India and are already exporting such vehicles to Brazil and Argentina. One of the most successful models is considered to be the Ford EcoSport, which is manufactured in India and exported to South America with a modified engine. The Renault Kwid, Jeep Compass and Volkswagen T-Cross (known as Taigun in India) are also available as FlexFuel vehicles in the South American car market. To be adapted as a FlexFuel engine, previous combustion engines generally only need to be fitted with special seals and an adapted engine control unit (ECU). Although the actual introduction of FlexFuel vehicles should not be a problem for Indian automakers from the government side, a bottleneck is expected in the registration or release of the vehicles. Currently, automakers are already experiencing delays in the homologation of their vehicles due to the introduction of the new CAFE2 (fleet fuel economy) and RDE (real driving emissions) emission standards.

Cars and their components must be certified in India according to AIS guidelines. AIS stands for Automotive Industry Standards, the technical automotive standards for India. MPR International GmbH – India Certification will gladly support you with AIS certification and is also available to answer any questions you may have.

AIS stands for Automotive Industry Standards, the technical automotive standards for India, while TAC stands for Type Approval Certificate. This kind of automotive product certifiation is conducted by authorities like the International Center for Automotive Technology (iCAT).
Depending on the product category, there are different certification steps. We will be happy to advise you on certification in India like AIS, BIS, WPC, TEC or PESO and are always available to answer your questions.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details and consultation. You can contact us via e-mail, or call us (UK: +44 2071931135, Rest of Europe: +49 69 2713769261, US: +1 773 654-2673).
If you have any questions you can also use our chat-window in the bottom right. (Please check your browser settings if you can’t see the window)
You can also check out our free AIS-Brochure, which can be downloaded right here as a PDF file.

Petronet plans LNG terminal on Indian east coast

Petronet LNG Ltd. is India’s largest gas importer and plans to build an LNG terminal on India’s east coast to expand its business activities. The floating structure is to be built at Gopalpur Port in Odisha. Once it is completed, the company is looking into another facility for ethane and propane gas at Dahej. Petronet had previously planned to build a liquefied natural gas terminal in Gangavaram (Andhra Pradesh) in 2015-16, but management was unable to determine the project’s viability due to low volumes of only 5 million tons annually at the time. In Odisha, the Adani Group already operates an import terminal at Damra Port with 5 million tons of annual capacity. Imports of products and equipment subject to PESO certification will likely also expand in the face of the planned construction.

Due to an increased demand for gas, Petronet now also sees an opportunity to expand its business activities there on the east coast. Petronet signed a long-term contract with Qatar to supply 5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually. The natural gas is either a gas mixture of largely natural origin or with high proportions of ethane and propane. Both are important feedstocks for the petrochemical industry. Currently, the gas mixture is processed by Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) and resold to Petronet. Now Petronet wants to enter this business itself. Therefore, the company plans to build a refinery and similar facilities at the Dahej terminal, which receives the imported propane gas from ships. So far, Petronet did not provide any information on the amount of investment and capacity of the plant.
The total petrochemicals market in India is 42.5 million tons and is estimated to grow to 49.62 million tons in 2025. The combined annual growth rate (CAGR) is 6.14 percent within fiscal years 2021 and 2025, so it is reasonable to assume that demand for imported LNG will continue to grow as a result. Vessels for the storage of pressurized gases and liquids in India must be mandatorily certified according to the PESO guidelines. The experts at MPR International GmbH are available to answer your questions about PESO certification or other India certifications without obligation for an initial assessment.

If you are interested in understanding what requirements are needed for your product to be imported into India, please do not hesitate to contact us by email or phone at +49-69-271 37 69 261. There is no cost or obligation for us to check for you. If a certification need is discovered we can provide a quotation to make sure that all your certification needs are covered.
If you have any questions you can also use our chat-window in the bottom right. (Please check your browser settings if you can’t see the window)
For more information about PESO certification, please refer to our free brochure “PESO Certification Made Easy“.

Visit Us Online at the SIAT 2021 Automotive Trade Fair

The SIAT international trade fair, organised by the Indian Automobile Regulatory Authority (ARAI), will take place virtually online for the first time. Since 1985, SIAT (Symposium on International Automotive Technology) has been an important forum for the automotive market in India. From September 29 to October 1, 2021 renowned representatives of the automotive industry worldwide will come together with this year’s focus theme “Redefining Mobility” to advance the development of the industry through brainstorming and discussions.

In addition to the numerous digital exhibition stalls, a multifaceted programme invites visitors to exchange ideas. Exciting discussion panels on mobility and a wide variety of interesting online lectures form the supporting programme for numerous exhibitions by international manufacturers. The focus of the fair will be on automotive products such as lights, tyres, rims and safety glass. Other topics will include electric power trains and alternative fuels.

The keynote speech by our Managing Director Julian Busch is a special highlight. He will give a comprehensive overview of the relevant certifications for automotive products, Indian quality standard requirements and challenges that manufacturers face during the current global situation. Mr. Busch will then make himself available for further questions on these topics.

State-of-the-art trade fair technology makes it possible for discussion forums and one-on-one meetings to be held in parallel. MPR International and its team will also be present with its own virtual exhibition booth and will be happy to address your individual questions.

Regardless of whether you already have your sights set on the Indian market or simply want to find out about the possibilities – at the trade fair we will advise you personally via video chat. You can benefit from our comprehensive consulting services from the comfort of your desk. If you would like detailed advice, please feel free to schedule an appointment with us.
We look forward to your visit – Stall number EO202

Cell phone exports from India increased threefold in 2nd quarter of 2021

The rapid growth of India’s cell phone manufacturers and related industry continues. The value of exported goods tripled, reaching the equivalent of $589 million in the second quarter of 2021. According to the Indian Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), these are signs of recovery and further upturn in the industry. Last year at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic, export value was only around $164 million. ICEA Chairman Pankaj Mohindroo said the industry’s growth is in line with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to make the country a manufacturing leader. The increased numbers also indicate a positive prognosis for future growth, which in turn indicates increased demand for imported resource materials and technical components for production, much of which in turn needs mandatory BIS certification.

Mohindroo added that despite a second Covid-19 wave, the industry has made substantial progress in manufacturing and exports. This was supported by government measures such as subsidies dependent on production volumes. In addition to cell phones, electronic goods in general saw export volumes double from the first quarter of last year, Mohindroo said. However, according to the ICEA, imports of laptops and tablets also increased by more than 50 percent in the second quarter of 2021 compared to the entire previous year. In numbers, the import value increased from $822 million to $1.37 billion.
The ICEA is keen to replicate India’s success in manufacturing and exporting cell phones to IT hardware such as PCs, laptops and tablets. Chairman Mohindroo said his association is in negotiations with the government to create conditions to support and attract hardware manufacturers to India. Ideally, the industry should meet at least 25 percent of global demand.

Electronic components or finished electronic devices require BIS certification in order to import them into India or place them on the market. Depending on the product, a distinction is made between BIS-ISI or BIS-CRS certification. Since the product list is constantly being expanded, we will gladly help you with an initial assessment. MPR International GmbH – India Certification supports you with a pending BIS certification and is also available at any time to answer your questions.

Since 2012, the BIS has been gradually expanding the certification catalog and continuously adding additional goods. BIS certification mandatory for many electronic products for industrial and consumer uses. Factory inspections are also required for some products.

If you are interested in understanding what requirements are needed for your product to be imported into India, please do not hesitate to contact us by email or phone at +49-69-271 37 69 261. There is no cost or obligation for us to check for you. If a certification need is discovered we can provide a quotation to make sure that all your certification needs are covered.

If you have any questions you can also use our chat-window in the bottom right. (Please check your browser settings if you can’t see the window)
For more information about BIS certification, please refer to our free brochure “BIS Certification Made Easy“.

Hyundai’s Genesis likely to be introduced to the Indian market

Hyundai’s Genesis joins the competition for automotive luxury brands on India’s roads, along with Germany’s Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi as well as Jaguar-Land Rover and Lexus, also including the Korean company’s electric offerings. The introduction is planned via an extended import route, although the option of importing the assembled cars is being discussed, in order to evade the increased import duty. Both modes will require extensive certification of components and homologation, respectively with Indian AIS certifications and BIS certifications .

The luxury brand Genesis has been available in South-Korea since its launch in 2015, as well as in the US. So far Genesis has made additional debuts in China and most recently in Europe. It is most likely that the Indian market is targeted next.

It is still too early to talk about definitive dates, said Hyundai India MD and CEO S S Kim, but feasibility studies have already begun. The biggest competition will be German luxury car makers and Hyundai is closely observing the reasons for their success and how new brands are being introduced to the market.
Despite being a mainstream car brand, Hyundai’s Genesis has already made a strong impact on the US and South Korean markets. The brand philosophy and values are different between Hyunday and Genesis, he said. Just like Toyota with Lexus and Nissan with Infiniti, Genesis has been created as a separate luxury extension of the Korean carmakers main leg.

AIS stands for Automotive Industry Standards, the technical automotive standards for India, while TAC stands for Type Approval Certificate. This kind of automotive product certifiation is conducted by authorities like the International Center for Automotive Technology (iCAT).
BIS stands for Bureau of Indian Standards and since 2012, the BIS has been gradually expanding the certification catalog and continuously adding additional goods. BIS certification is mandatory for many electronic products for industrial and consumer uses. Factory inspections are also required for some products.
Depending on the product category, there are different certification steps. We will be happy to advise you on certification in India like AIS, BIS, WPC, TEC or PESO and are always available to answer your questions.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further details and consultation. You can contact us via e-mail, or call us (UK: +44 2071931135, Rest of Europe: +49 69 2713769261, US: +1 773 654-2673).
If you have any questions you can also use our chat-window in the bottom right. (Please check your browser settings if you can’t see the window)
You can also check out our free AIS-Brochure, which can be downloaded right here as a PDF file.