The PS5 doesn’t have an India release date yet and it’s possibly due to Sony submitting the console for BIS compliance — India’s mandatory certification process for electronics — on October 22, 2020, five days after revealing its price on October 17, 2020. This information was first made public by a Twitter account that tracks India release information regarding the PS5. The Mako Reactor has confirmed the veracity of these claims. We’ve reached out to Sony for comment and will update this story if we hear from the company.
New information I have received via RTI: BIS compliance paperwork for the PlayStation 5 was submitted on October 22, five days AFTER Sony announced the pricing for India.
— Is PS5 Out in India Yet? (@IsPS5OutIND) December 19, 2020
How long will it take for PS5 to clear BIS?
According to multiple sources familiar with BIS procedures, it takes around 35 working days for a product to obtain certification including 10 to 12 working days of testing. Considering Form – II (format for undertaking of test report) and Form – VIII A (form for inclusion/model withdrawal) were submitted on October 22, 2020, with Diwali right around the corner it’s no surprise we haven’t got a date yet. Furthermore, the PS5 units sent to India for testing originated in China (Yantai to be precise) which adds another wrinkle. The ongoing border dispute between India and China has impacted trade and certification as well, we have been told.
“If it’s been manufactured in China, it’s met with suspicion, even test results for basic things like Bluetooth from Chinese manufacturing plants that were considered earlier to help expedite the process as they’re applicable the world over are redone in India,” says one source close to the matter.
When will the PS5 release in India?
As we mentioned above it usually takes 35 working days for a product to clear BIS. Those familiar with Sony’s plans tell us a release date should happen “anytime soon”. For reference, the PS4 launched in January 2014 but was unavailable officially for four months after launch to comply with BIS regulations. It was submitted on April 28, 2014 and restocks finally hit the shelves around the release date of the first Watch Dogs on May 27, 2014.
Earlier in the week, readers of The Mako Reactor have been told by Sony Centers — Sony’s own franchised stores, that they can expect PS5 pre-orders to go live before the end of December with the console launching mid-January. Some of them have been taking pre-order payments up front as well. Odd considering that Sony hasn’t allowed any store to start taking pre-orders yet.
We reached out to multiple Sony Centers across the country — Goa, Bengaluru, Delhi, and Raipur among others, and we were met with a similar response: a January release window with pre-orders before the end of December. According to the store managers we spoke to, Sony India has told them that these plans will be revealed officially soon.
Now, Sony Centers have a spotty track record. In the past they claimed that pre-orders for the PS5 would begin in November which never happened. However with Sony India employees undergoing PS5 training and plans to change its current PS5 messaging from late 2020, it seems that we may not have to wait too long for an actual PS5 release date.
For what it’s worth, the PS5 India price is Rs. 49,990 and the PS5 digital edition is Rs. 39,990. Sony also confirmed that PS5 games will cost Rs. 3,999 upwards. It remains to be seen whether these prices will remain stable once the initial lot is sold out.
Usually console prices are known after being sent for BIS certification as we have seen with the Xbox Series X, Series S, PS4 Pro, and PS4 Slim. Odd that this was not the case here. Throw in the fact that Sony had to wrestle control of its own PS5 trade mark around the same time, and it suggests that the company was not at all prepared for an India launch.
All said and done though, it’s downright incompetent on Sony’s part to announce a global launch for the PS5 and not even submitting it for certification in India on time. More so when Microsoft was able to pull off an India launch in time with the rest of the world for the Xbox Series X and S.
