Quality testing essential for strong India: Pralhad Joshi

Bengaluru: Quality testing is essential to strengthen India’s manufacturing sector and build a strong and self-reliant nation, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Saturday. Speaking at the inauguration of a newly constructed testing facility of the National Test House (NTH) in Bengaluru and its 115th Foundation Day celebrations, Joshi said maintaining high quality standards was as important as increasing production.

He said the NTH, established in 1912 during the British era, had faced a proposal for closure around 2012. However, the institution was revived and strengthened to support the manufacturing sector and the Centre’s Make in India initiative.

Joshi said the new facilities were particularly important amid growing concerns over electric vehicle battery safety. An advanced EV battery testing centre has been established in Bengaluru to ensure the safety and efficiency of batteries.

Recalling Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya, Joshi said engineering excellence was not merely about construction but also about anticipating defects and preventing failures. He said the foundation stone for the new facility had been laid around two years ago under the Gati Shakti initiative and the project was completed on schedule. Three facilities, including a new laboratory, mobile application and EV battery testing centre, were inaugurated.