Chandigarh, August 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Punjab Government has partnered with the National Test House (NTH) to establish advanced testing and certification facilities closer to the state’s major industrial clusters, Industries and Commerce Minister Aman Arora said on Sunday.
The initiative is aimed at helping micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and exporters improve product quality, reduce compliance costs and shorten testing turnaround times.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the Punjab Department of Industries and Commerce and the NTH was exchanged on the sidelines of the NTH’s 115th Foundation Day celebrations in Bengaluru. Director Industries and Commerce, Punjab, Jaspreet Singh, exchanged the MoU with NTH Director General Dr Alok Kumar Srivastava.
Under the collaboration, a state-of-the-art NTH laboratory will be established at the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology (NIIFT) in Jalandhar. The facility is strategically positioned to serve the industrial hubs of Ludhiana, Amritsar and Jalandhar.
The proposed laboratory will cater to sectors including sports goods, textiles, leather, hand tools, auto components and food processing.
“For Punjab’s MSMEs and exporters, quality is the passport to global markets. By bringing advanced testing capabilities closer to our industrial clusters, we will help local enterprises enhance product quality, reduce compliance costs and compete with greater confidence globally,” Arora said.
He noted that the NTH, which functions under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, has developed expertise in emerging areas including drone certification, electric vehicle battery testing and organic food testing. Its testing capabilities based on national and international standards, he said, would strengthen Punjab’s manufacturing competitiveness.
Arora said the initiative reaffirmed the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab Government’s commitment to developing a robust testing ecosystem in the state.
He added that access to advanced testing facilities near industrial clusters would enable faster compliance, support export-oriented manufacturing and help MSMEs meet national and international quality benchmarks.
The minister said the collaboration between the NTH’s technical expertise and Punjab’s manufacturing base would also help shorten product development cycles, strengthen quality assurance and reinforce the state’s position as a hub for globally competitive manufacturing.
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