Inaugural Address
by
Prof. K V Thomas
Hon’ble Minister (Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) of India
at the 34th General Assembly
of
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
0930 h, Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
Mr. Rajiv Agarwal, Secretary (Consumer Affairs); Mr. Sharad Gupta, Director General, BIS; Dr. Boris Aleshin, ISO President; Mr. Rob Steele, ISO Secretary-General; distinguished invitees and participants at the 34th General Assembly of the ISO, ladies and gentlemen,
It is indeed a momentous occasion for the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India and a Statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India, to host the 34th General Assembly of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This is not the first time that India is hosting the ISO General Assembly, having hosted it earlier in the year 1964. It, however, remains a great privilege and an honour for us to invite and host the ISO fraternity at New Delhi, India during the ISO General Assembly week from 19th to 24th September 2011. It gives me great pleasure to be here in your midst today and welcome the delegates of the ISO’s worldwide family, which now includes the national standards bodies of 162 countries. I am told that delegates from over 125 countries are present here today.
Standardization has been with us since time immemorial. Right from the movement of stars in our solar system to our household goods, standardization is all pervasive and can not be missed. It is so deeply ingrained in our lives that we fail to notice it in routine. There exist innumerable examples of benefits of standardization and yet it merits mention that standardization was never more relevant to us than now, particularly, in today’s globalized world under the WTO-TBT regime.
Standardization has had a long tradition in India. The Indian Standards Institution, the predecessor of BIS, was one of the founder-members of the ISO. BIS has had a long association with the ISO and two of its nominees have also been the Presidents of ISO, Dr. J. Ghandhy (for the 1965-1967 term) and Dr. D.C. Kothari (for the 1983-1985 term). The founder Director General of BIS, Dr. Lal C. Verman was also the Vice President of ISO during 1949-1954. BIS is an active and prominent member of the ISO, contributing in both, the technical work and the governance of the ISO. It has been a member of the ISO Council in the past, besides being a member of its policy development committees like DEVCO, COPOLCO and CASCO. BIS is also an elected member of the Technical Management Board. It is also a member of 611 technical committee and sub-committees of ISO, with secretarial responsibilities for 8 of these technical committees and sub-committees.
The BIS, without doubt, is one of the leading service providing organizations in the country, especially in the fields of standardization and conformity assessment and has been at the forefront in the Government’s efforts in providing value based services to the citizens of this great nation. It has the mandate of representing India in the global standardization arena. In today’s regime of international trade, BIS shoulders the unenviable responsibility of safeguarding the country’s technological interests by formulating Indian Standards, which reflect India’s technical competence. India’s captive consumer base and massive technically trained workforce place it in a position to decisively influence the course of world history in the 21st century. BIS’s role as a prominent member of the ISO will be no exception.
The Government of India has always been an active supporter of national and international standardization work, having supported the establishment of the Indian Standards Institution at the dawn of independence in India and later, restructuring it into a Statutory Body in 1987 through the enactment of the BIS Act, 1986. It recognizes standardization as an important facilitator for trade and for protection of consumers’ interests. It also realizes that India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and standardization is a vital component of its growth engine. We also recognize that international standards reduce technical barriers to international trade by providing uniform level playing field to suppliers from developed, developing and under developed countries. Thus, active participation in international standardization efforts is in the interest of all.
There is a growing expectation from the international standards of all sectors of economy, which the ongoing and future standardization efforts must take into consideration. International standards must facilitate sustainable development, for that is the way to proceed in future. It is heartening to note that ISO has already published International Standard on Energy Management Systems (ISO 50001), which will provided the much needed fillip to the cause of energy management, particularly, in the developing world. I also note that ISO is organizing a regional seminar on ISO 50001 in New Delhi during 21-23 November 2011. This, I hope, is the first of many such initiatives to follow. I am also told that International Standards in the areas of financial planning, market research, tourism, as well as exhibition management are under development. ISO should now foster new initiatives and proactively anticipate new areas where international standardization might support dissemination of innovation. Far from stifling innovation, standards encourage it – but this message must be communicated in each country in order to help businesses – and in particular small businesses – to understand the value of standardization.
Standardization has helped the Indian industry to come up with quality produce, conforming to International Standards, which has enabled them to compete effectively and efficiently at the global stage and garner its share of the world market. The exports, over the years, have steadily increased. Indian produce is able to compete with the best at the global stage, both in terms of quality and cost. There is a realization in India that International standards, as per WTO-TBT agreement, play significant role, particularly in Technical Regulations. Therefore, effective participation in the international standardization is critical to continual growth of India. I am confident that this ISO General Assembly will also help BIS to show-case the deep-rooted robustness of standardization in India at the world stage and to demonstrate the competence and competitiveness of our industry and trade.
In this background, I feel that the theme of tomorrow’s Open Session, that is, Industry and Standards – Fostering Innovation and Building Competitive Advantage, has been very aptly chosen. I am confident that tomorrow’s Open Session will help the Indian industry and consumers to understand the benefits of national and international standardization activities in trade and economic growth. This would also enhance participation of all stakeholders in the development of national and international standards.
This event is being hosted by us in New Delhi, the capital of India, which is not only a great historical city, but is also a curious mix of tradition and modern life-style, new-age architecture and world-heritage monuments, densely populated but with vast open spaces. New Delhi also epitomizes the all-round socio-economic progress made by India since Independence. Last but not the least, it provides us an opportunity to show-case the standard of Indian hospitality to the world. I feel great pleasure in declaring the 34th ISO General Assembly open and wish you all a highly successful and memorable ISO General Assembly.
JAI HIND
by
Prof. K V Thomas
Hon’ble Minister (Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) of India
at the 34th General Assembly
of
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
0930 h, Wednesday, 21 September 2011
Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi
Mr. Rajiv Agarwal, Secretary (Consumer Affairs); Mr. Sharad Gupta, Director General, BIS; Dr. Boris Aleshin, ISO President; Mr. Rob Steele, ISO Secretary-General; distinguished invitees and participants at the 34th General Assembly of the ISO, ladies and gentlemen,
It is indeed a momentous occasion for the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), the National Standards Body of India and a Statutory body under the aegis of the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Government of India, to host the 34th General Assembly of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This is not the first time that India is hosting the ISO General Assembly, having hosted it earlier in the year 1964. It, however, remains a great privilege and an honour for us to invite and host the ISO fraternity at New Delhi, India during the ISO General Assembly week from 19th to 24th September 2011. It gives me great pleasure to be here in your midst today and welcome the delegates of the ISO’s worldwide family, which now includes the national standards bodies of 162 countries. I am told that delegates from over 125 countries are present here today.
Standardization has been with us since time immemorial. Right from the movement of stars in our solar system to our household goods, standardization is all pervasive and can not be missed. It is so deeply ingrained in our lives that we fail to notice it in routine. There exist innumerable examples of benefits of standardization and yet it merits mention that standardization was never more relevant to us than now, particularly, in today’s globalized world under the WTO-TBT regime.
Standardization has had a long tradition in India. The Indian Standards Institution, the predecessor of BIS, was one of the founder-members of the ISO. BIS has had a long association with the ISO and two of its nominees have also been the Presidents of ISO, Dr. J. Ghandhy (for the 1965-1967 term) and Dr. D.C. Kothari (for the 1983-1985 term). The founder Director General of BIS, Dr. Lal C. Verman was also the Vice President of ISO during 1949-1954. BIS is an active and prominent member of the ISO, contributing in both, the technical work and the governance of the ISO. It has been a member of the ISO Council in the past, besides being a member of its policy development committees like DEVCO, COPOLCO and CASCO. BIS is also an elected member of the Technical Management Board. It is also a member of 611 technical committee and sub-committees of ISO, with secretarial responsibilities for 8 of these technical committees and sub-committees.
The BIS, without doubt, is one of the leading service providing organizations in the country, especially in the fields of standardization and conformity assessment and has been at the forefront in the Government’s efforts in providing value based services to the citizens of this great nation. It has the mandate of representing India in the global standardization arena. In today’s regime of international trade, BIS shoulders the unenviable responsibility of safeguarding the country’s technological interests by formulating Indian Standards, which reflect India’s technical competence. India’s captive consumer base and massive technically trained workforce place it in a position to decisively influence the course of world history in the 21st century. BIS’s role as a prominent member of the ISO will be no exception.
The Government of India has always been an active supporter of national and international standardization work, having supported the establishment of the Indian Standards Institution at the dawn of independence in India and later, restructuring it into a Statutory Body in 1987 through the enactment of the BIS Act, 1986. It recognizes standardization as an important facilitator for trade and for protection of consumers’ interests. It also realizes that India is one of the fastest-growing economies in the world and standardization is a vital component of its growth engine. We also recognize that international standards reduce technical barriers to international trade by providing uniform level playing field to suppliers from developed, developing and under developed countries. Thus, active participation in international standardization efforts is in the interest of all.
There is a growing expectation from the international standards of all sectors of economy, which the ongoing and future standardization efforts must take into consideration. International standards must facilitate sustainable development, for that is the way to proceed in future. It is heartening to note that ISO has already published International Standard on Energy Management Systems (ISO 50001), which will provided the much needed fillip to the cause of energy management, particularly, in the developing world. I also note that ISO is organizing a regional seminar on ISO 50001 in New Delhi during 21-23 November 2011. This, I hope, is the first of many such initiatives to follow. I am also told that International Standards in the areas of financial planning, market research, tourism, as well as exhibition management are under development. ISO should now foster new initiatives and proactively anticipate new areas where international standardization might support dissemination of innovation. Far from stifling innovation, standards encourage it – but this message must be communicated in each country in order to help businesses – and in particular small businesses – to understand the value of standardization.
Standardization has helped the Indian industry to come up with quality produce, conforming to International Standards, which has enabled them to compete effectively and efficiently at the global stage and garner its share of the world market. The exports, over the years, have steadily increased. Indian produce is able to compete with the best at the global stage, both in terms of quality and cost. There is a realization in India that International standards, as per WTO-TBT agreement, play significant role, particularly in Technical Regulations. Therefore, effective participation in the international standardization is critical to continual growth of India. I am confident that this ISO General Assembly will also help BIS to show-case the deep-rooted robustness of standardization in India at the world stage and to demonstrate the competence and competitiveness of our industry and trade.
In this background, I feel that the theme of tomorrow’s Open Session, that is, Industry and Standards – Fostering Innovation and Building Competitive Advantage, has been very aptly chosen. I am confident that tomorrow’s Open Session will help the Indian industry and consumers to understand the benefits of national and international standardization activities in trade and economic growth. This would also enhance participation of all stakeholders in the development of national and international standards.
This event is being hosted by us in New Delhi, the capital of India, which is not only a great historical city, but is also a curious mix of tradition and modern life-style, new-age architecture and world-heritage monuments, densely populated but with vast open spaces. New Delhi also epitomizes the all-round socio-economic progress made by India since Independence. Last but not the least, it provides us an opportunity to show-case the standard of Indian hospitality to the world. I feel great pleasure in declaring the 34th ISO General Assembly open and wish you all a highly successful and memorable ISO General Assembly.
JAI HIND
