Smartphone screen protectors may get costlier from April 2027 under new BIS rules

Smartphone users in India may have to pay more for screen protectors in the future after the government brought the products under the mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) registration framework.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), through a notification dated September 21, added "Screen Protectors for smartphones" to the list of products covered under the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirement of Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. The new requirement will come into effect from April 1, 2027.

Under the new framework, smartphone screen protectors will have to comply with IS 19348:2025, titled Glass Screen Protector — Specification. The standard covers requirements related to aspects such as glass strength, thickness, dimensions, light transmission, surface defects and other quality parameters.

Why could screen protectors become expensive?

The government has not announced a fixed price increase for screen protectors. However, manufacturers and importers will now have to meet testing and certification requirements before their products can be sold in India.

These additional compliance costs could include product testing, certification and improvements in manufacturing processes. Companies may eventually pass some of these costs on to consumers, potentially making certain screen protectors more expensive. However, the extent of any price increase will depend on individual manufacturers and market conditions.

What does the BIS rule cover?

The IS 19348:2025 standard establishes quality requirements for glass screen protectors. These include specifications relating to glass quality, dimensions, thickness, strength and optical performance. Other features such as adhesives, anti-shatter films, oleophobic coatings, anti-glare coatings, blue-light filtering and privacy films are also covered by the standard. Packaging requirements include details such as the manufacturer, batch number and product thickness.

From April 1, 2027, covered screen protectors that do not meet the applicable requirements will not be permitted to be manufactured, imported, stored for sale, sold or distributed in India.

What does it mean for smartphone users?

For consumers, the new rules could mean greater consistency in the quality of screen protectors available in the market. India currently has a wide range of products, from established brands to inexpensive and unbranded tempered glass protectors.

The mandatory standards are intended to reduce the availability of products that fail to meet defined quality requirements. At the same time, some of the cheapest screen protectors could become less widely available once the rules take effect.

Will all screen protectors become expensive?

Not necessarily. The government notification does not state that prices will increase, and there is no prescribed retail price for screen protectors under the new rule.

The actual impact on prices will depend on certification expenses, manufacturing costs, imports, competition and how businesses absorb or pass on the additional costs. Therefore, while some screen protectors could become costlier, it is too early to say that every screen protector sold in India will see a price hike.

The new BIS requirement is scheduled to take effect on April 1, 2027, giving manufacturers and importers several months to prepare for the new standards.