With regard to the mandatory certification system for automobile tyres, Japan has indicated the problems several times at WTO/TBT Committee and bilateral meetings. The Indian government has already implemented their system, while Japanese tire manufacturers have not yet had several tires certified due to insufficient capacity of the certification authorities, such as the Bureau of Indian Standards, and two testing laboratories. Due to these circumstances, the relevant Japanese companies have been forced to suspend exports from Japan to India and this situation is tantamount to building a technical barrier to trade. Japan would like to know what the Indian government thinks of this situation in the context of WTO rules.
Reply: BIS as a certification authority has sufficient capacity. BIS till date has received 12 applications for grant of license for pneumatic tyres from Japanese manufacturers. Out of these, licenses have been granted in 11 cases. Only in one case, the application is pending as the visit was delayed because of the natural calamity in Japan. Presently, the samples are being tested.
