Some of the electronic goods require BIS certification for ensuring quality standards if imported to India. The thing, the BIS certificate will be issued by the Authorities to Foreign Manufacturer or their representatives/indian subsidairies. It will be issued for a product range and not for individual piece or transaction and might have validity period, after which that can be renewed further Once the BIS is issued to a particular make and model, that product can imported to India by anybody untill its validity allows. The Manufacturer or thier Indian Agents have to apply and acquire the BIS and not by the End user like you.
First thing, please check the make and model you are proposed to import is already having valid BIS, if it is having, you need not to worry about obtaining the same.. You can check with the Indian Dealers of that product about the same. They may not reveal the truth since it affects their business interests.
However, the BIS is certificate is not required for the products brought from abroad for personal use, especially if they are for individual, non-commercial purposes. However, if the product falls under the mandatory BIS certification list and is intended for sale or commercial use in India, then a BIS certificate is required, whether it is imported or hand carried. Some agents are clever and may bring such product without BIS, like misbranding or with varied nomenclature, having their own paid regular travellers, and many other illegal modes.
So, if the intended product does not have BIS and falls under mandatory BIS requirement, then the better option is to get the product into India through some one who is travelling citing as for personal use. This is the usual practice all of we do.
Some of our fellow FMs who have better expereience and Idea on this, may correct me if it is something else or other way out.
