What are the BIS/IS AGL concepts in India?
ICAO and DGCA say what the pilot must see — the Indian Standards describe how fittings, regulators and transformers are specified and tested.
BIS/IS AGL concepts cover the Indian Standards for AGL equipment: elevated fittings (IS 7785), inset fittings (IS 11071), constant current regulators (IS 12291) and isolating transformers (IS 12290). Each describes how the equipment is built and tested.
Most of these documents are decades old, dating from 1975 to 1987. A BIS review of the inset fittings standard recorded that tenders usually cite FAA and ICAO Annex 14 instead, and recommended revision plus a separate standard for LED inset lights. So always check which document a project actually calls up.
- Find the part. Is it an elevated fitting, inset fitting, CCR, transformer or lamp?
- Find the IS number. Match the part to its standard, such as IS 12291 for the CCR.
- Check status. Confirm the current edition, amendments and any revision on the BIS site.
- Check it is called up. The tender or contract decides whether IS, FAA, ICAO or IEC applies.
What the lighting must do: pattern, colour, intensity and where each light goes.
How Indian equipment is specified and tested, from the fitting to the regulator and transformer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is BIS/IS in airfield lighting?
BIS is the Bureau of Indian Standards, India's national standards body, and IS is the prefix of its standards. For AGL there is a small family of older Indian Standards covering fittings, constant current regulators and isolating transformers. They describe how the equipment is built and tested, while ICAO and DGCA rules say what the lighting must achieve.
Q2Which Indian Standards relate to AGL equipment?
The main ones are IS 7785 (elevated aerodrome lighting fittings), IS 11071 (inset aerodrome lighting fittings), IS 12291 (constant current regulators) and IS 12290 (isolating transformers for airport lighting). IS 11116 is a code of practice for apron lighting. Confirm the current title, edition and amendments on the BIS website before quoting any of them.
Q3Do Indian airport tenders use IS or FAA/ICAO?
A BIS review of the inset fittings standard recorded that tenders for these lights generally cite FAA and ICAO Annex 14 requirements, because the IS documents are old. Always read the tender or contract to see which document it actually calls up.
Q4Are the Indian Standards for AGL up to date?
Several date from 1975 to 1987, and a BIS review noted they predate LED fixtures. That review recommended revising them and drafting a separate standard for LED inset lights. BIS has since circulated a 2023 draft for a new standard on inset and elevated aerodrome luminaires that states it will supersede IS 7785 and IS 11071, and the BIS portal now lists IS 11071 (Part 2) as withdrawn. Check the current BIS catalogue for the status of each part before quoting it.
Q5Is an IS mandatory for AGL?
Not on its own. An Indian Standard becomes binding when a regulation, licence condition or contract names it. DGCA requirements for aerodromes and the project specification decide what applies at a given airport.
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