India gets its first standard for bomb disposal systems to boost security infrastructure

A Bomb Disposal Team vehicle outside the Delhi high court. (Courtesy: PTI photo)

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified a dedicated standard for bomb disposal systems to address a critical gap in the country's security preparedness framework and provide manufacturers with clear performance benchmarks.

The new standard, IS 19445:2025, was developed at the request of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and the Terminal Ballistic Research Laboratory. It establishes comprehensive guidelines for evaluating bomb disposal systems against blast loads and splinter effects.

Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare said the standard is intended for "voluntary adoption" by procurement agencies, manufacturers, and testing bodies.

"Its implementation is expected to bring uniformity in evaluation practices, promote quality-driven manufacturing, and enhance confidence in bomb disposal systems deployed in critical security operations," she said in a statement.

The standard specifies requirements for test equipment, test range conditions, and evaluation procedures to objectively assess system effectiveness, according to the Consumer Affairs Ministry.

The need for an Indian standard arose because existing international standards are either restricted in access or not fully aligned with the threat profiles and operational conditions faced by Indian forces, the ministry said.

Indian armed forces, central armed police forces, state police, and civilian agencies increasingly encounter threats from unexploded bombs, improvised explosive devices, and hand grenades in conflict zones, cantonment areas, and public places.

Three categories of bomb disposal systems, bomb blankets, bomb baskets, and bomb inhibitors, are commonly deployed to mitigate these risks. While several public and private agencies manufacture such systems in India, their safe deployment requires rigorous and standardised performance evaluation.

The standard serves as a reference for test sponsors, manufacturers, and accredited testing agencies by defining test methodologies, apparatus, test specimens, and acceptance criteria to verify compliance with performance benchmarks.

While developing IS 19445:2025, consideration was given to international best practices and globally accepted performance concepts, suitably adapted to Indian threat scenarios and operating environments. This approach promotes global alignment while maintaining national relevance and supports Indian manufacturers in achieving international competitiveness, the ministry said.