In 1987 the Indian national standards body, BIS, was given statutory status by the 1986 Bureau of Indian Standards Act. BIS was formed from the Indian Standards Institution, which had been in existence since 1947.

There are two national accreditation bodies: NABCB for accreditation of certification bodies, and NABL for accreditation of calibration and testing laboratories. Both are overseen by the Quality Council of India, an autonomous body of the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

Legal metrology is the direct responsibility of the Department of Consumer Affairs within the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.

The national measurement institute is NPLI^*, established in 1947. NPLI has a statutory obligation to maintain national measurement standards and calibration facilities.

* Except for ionising radiation metrology, which is the responsibility of BHARC, a nuclear research centre under the Department of Atomic Energy.