NTH, India Post tie-up to make product testing quicker and cheaper

Mint

2 days ago

New Delhi: Businesses in India will soon be able to leverage the country's vast postal network to send samples to the National Test House (NTH) for quality evaluation and certification, making it easier for them to export their goods to new geographies at a time when president Donald Trump has imposed a heavy tax on Indian goods entering the US.
NTH, the government's apex testing and quality certification body whose certificates are globally accepted, will soon allow manufacturers, exporters, traders, and even consumers to submit samples for testing without visiting its laboratories, expediting the process and saving costs, two government officials directly involved in the process told Mint on the condition of anonymity.
The initiative will be made possible through NTH's tie-up with India Post, enabling product samples to be dispatched from over 164,000 post offices across the country. An agreement between the two agencies is expected to be signed shortly, said the first of the two officials cited earlier.
Consumers too will be able to use the facility by sending samples to any of the NTH laboratories through India Post and receiving the test reports directly at their doorstep, they said.
The collaboration brings together two of India's oldest institutions—National Test House, established in 1912, and India Post, founded in 1854 combining their legacy strengths to serve modern trade and consumer needs.
Queries sent to the secretary of the Department of Post remained unanswered till press time.
'This initiative will extend NTH's reach into India's hinterland and make quality testing more accessible and inclusive,' said Alok Srivastava, director general of the National Test House.
By expanding the reach of NTH through India Post's vast network, the government expects to create a level-playing field for smaller exporters and reduce dependence on middlemen and private agencies, he said.
For exporters, the move is particularly significant at a time when India is looking to explore new geographies in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to reduce dependence on traditional partners such as the US. Product quality certification, which is increasingly demanded by importing countries, has often been a bottleneck for smaller firms that lack easy access to accredited testing facilities.
With the new arrangement, exporters in distant clusters—from Morbi's ceramics to Tiruppur's textiles and Ludhiana's bicycle industry—will be able to send their products for testing directly through their local post office, said the first official.
The arrangement will connect exporters and businesses directly to NTH's regional laboratories in Kolkata, Ghaziabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Jaipur, Guwahati, and Varanasi. By leveraging India Post's logistics network, NTH aims to remove the barriers that firms, especially in smaller towns and rural areas, face while sending samples for testing.
'The postal network will not only ensure secure and timely delivery but also offer real-time tracking, giving customers confidence that their samples are handled transparently,' said the second official.
Another advantage is cost. Since the process will be centralized, customers are expected to save significantly compared to private courier services. They will no longer need to arrange individual logistics providers or travel physically to NTH offices for submission.
'This is likely to bring down both cost and time for businesses, making the process faster, more convenient, and cost-effective. The quicker movement of samples will also help expedite the issuance of test reports, a critical factor for exporters trying to meet overseas shipment deadlines,' the second official added.
Industry leaders see the move as a much-needed reform. 'It is high time that India supports innovation. The plan to leverage the services of India Post will facilitate entrepreneurs to get approvals and certification for their products,' said Ravi Saxena, co-founder and chief executive of Wonderchef, a kitchen appliance company.
Saxena added that India should build systems that enable innovation seamlessly, much like China did with patents, which helped it emerge as the world's largest producer of patents.
Experts also pointed out that NTH certificates lend weight to India's export competitiveness, as they are globally recognised. For small and medium exporters, who often struggle with rejection of consignments abroad due to quality-related issues, easy access to testing will help boost credibility in new markets, said Vinod Kumar, president of India SME Forum, a body of small and medium enterprises.
"This move to leverage the India Post network for delivering samples to the National Test House is a forward-looking step that will greatly benefit industries like toy manufacturing, where safety and compliance are critical. By combining the vast reach of India Post with NTH's technical expertise, this initiative will make testing more accessible, reduce turnaround times, and build stronger trust in quality assurance, enabling Indian manufacturers to compete confidently in both domestic and global markets," said Vivek Singhal, co-founder and chief executive, BIDSO, a B2B manufacturer of outdoor toys.
The government hopes that streamlined testing services will encourage more firms to seek certifications proactively, thereby reducing disputes and rejections at the destination ports.
The initiative comes in the backdrop of rising demand for testing and certification, with the government tightening standards across a range of sectors. From toys and electrical appliances to chemicals and building materials, mandatory compliance requirements have expanded rapidly in recent years. The officials mentioned above said that linking NTH's services with India Post will not only strengthen enforcement of domestic standards but also help Indian products align more closely with international benchmarks.
The National Test House plays a critical role in testing, calibration, and certification of industrial and consumer products.