IS 19609:2026 is a new voluntary Indian Standard developed and issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) in August 2026, followed by the Gazette notification dated 15 September 2026. The standard sets out the requirements for the complete fabrication and performance of externally framed doors, windows, and sliders made of uPVC, whereas IS 17953:2023 sets out only the requirements for uPVC profiles.

This Indian Standard is an important development for Indian manufacturers/fabricators in the uPVC doors & windows segment, as, for the first time, a BIS standard has been developed for the complete assembled product rather than the individual profile. Currently, the BIS Certification for IS 19609:2026  uPVC Profile Framed Doors, Windows and Sliders is voluntary, but below you can go through all the safety and quality aspects of obtaining the ISI Mark.

What Is IS 19609:2026 for uPVC Profile Framed Doors, Windows and Sliders?

IS 19609:2026 is the Indian Standard specifying the materials, manufacturing, and performance of complete external doors, windows, and sliders made of uPVC-framed units. The Indian Standard has been issued by BIS through the Doors, Windows and Shutters Sectional Committee (CED 11) and came into existence in August 2026, with the Gazette notification dated 15 September 2026.

Scope: What's Covered and What's Excluded

IS 19609:2026 specifies requirements for the materials, fabrication, and performance of whole external door, window, and slider systems made from uPVC profiles. It applies to the complete, assembled product as installed in a building, not just the raw profile material.

What IS 19609:2026 does not cover:

  • Per Clause 1.2, the standard explicitly excludes the following:
  • Windows and doors subject to fire/smoke regulations; products governed by rules on smoke leakage, fire resistance, and escape routes
  • Curtain walls
  • Revolving doors
  • Internal partitions including internal windows, doors, and sliders
  • Bullet- and blast-resistant windows, doors, and sliders

Key Material Requirements Under IS 19609:2026

Material Requirements for Each Component of a uPVC Door Window Slider System per Clause 5 of the Standard Include:

  • uPVC Profiles: Shall comply with IS 17953:2023, the standard applicable to the raw extruded profile.
  • Aluminium extrusions & flashing: Shall comply with either IS 733 or IS 738 (or equivalent) and shall be finished in either anodising, liquid organic coating, or powder coating.
  • Glass/glazing: Shall be made of types of glass specified under their respective IS standards, such as float glass (IS 14900), safety glass (IS 2553-1), heat-strengthened glass (IS 16982), IGU (IS 17346), mirrors (IS 3438).
  • Fixtures & hardware: Shall be of corrosion-resistant materials; for properties near the coast (up to 1km from the seashore), they shall be salt-spray resistant for up to 480 hrs; otherwise, 240 hrs.
  • Glazing Gaskets: The material, such as EPDM/Silicone/Rubber, shall be in line with the standards specified in Table 1 for hardness, compression set, ozone

Safety Requirements: Why This Standard Matters for Homes and High-Rises

Beyond materials and dimensions, IS 19609:2026 includes provisions for human safety, an aspect that warrants consideration on its own merits because it addresses homeowners, architects, and developers, rather than manufacturers.

  • Child safety restrictors: For projected top-hung, parallel-opening, vertical-sliding-hung, and pivot window types, the clear opening should not exceed 100mm to prevent falls by children in residential apartments.
  • Anti-fallout devices: For buildings above 5 storeys (>15 m), a secondary anti-fallout safety device is mandatory. The caveat here is that the "mandatory" requirement applies only to the technical specification, not to BIS Certification; IS 19609:2026 Certification, as such, remains voluntary.
  • Multi-point locking: Mandatory for sliding windows over 1.5 m and casement windows over 0.9m in height. For doors (casement and sliding), multi-point locking is a must, regardless of size.
  • Wind-load requirements: For wind loads exceeding 3,000Pa, only inward-opening operable windows, doors, and sliders are allowed.

Testing and Conformity Requirements

The standard does not provide its own testing tables but instead refers fabricators to IS 18648:2024 for classification and testing.

  • Product basic classification: Based on the classification given in Table 1A of IS 18648:2024 (Clause 8.1).
  • Performance classification: Based on the test results compared with Table 1B of IS 18648:2024 (Clause 8.2), with an additional option for performance classification according to Table 1C (Clause 8.3).
  • Lot, sampling and conformance: Windows, doors, and sliders of the same type, handing, and loading conditions, with comparable physical properties of materials, are considered one lot. Sampling is random, and the number of samples is to be agreed between the manufacturer and the purchaser; all samples should satisfy the requirements of the standard to be considered conforming.

Marking and the BIS Standard Mark

Each uPVC door, window, or slider must be legibly marked with the manufacturer's name/trademark, classification values per IS 18648:2024, and the date of manufacture or batch number. Manufacturers can also pursue the official BIS Standard Mark by obtaining certification under the conformity assessment schemes of the BIS Act, 2016. Since IS 19609:2026 does not yet include a mandatory QCO, this certification remains a voluntary means of building trust ahead of any future regulatory requirement.

Is BIS Certification Mandatory Under IS 19609:2026?

Not yet – it is still voluntary. No QCO has yet been published for IS 19609:2026, unlike its older brother, IS 17953:2023, which is mandatory for uPVC profiles. The regulators have also developed a QCO proposal for aluminium-framed doors, windows, and sliders.

Conclusion

The IS 19609:2026 is a move towards testing and evaluating a complete uPVC door, window, and slider system rather than the simple profile, with a strong emphasis on practicality and durability. Although there is currently no mandatory requirement for certification in this case, the draft QCO for aluminium door and window frames indicates that this may soon become a reality.