On August 25, 2026, the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) released a Wide Circulation Draft of the first revision of the Indian Standard IS 13183:1991, Aluminium Paint, Heat Resistant — Specification (as IS 13183:2026), opening it for comments from stakeholders; the deadline for comments is October 24, 2026. The draft introduces new requirements such as classification by heat-resistance grade, volatile organic compound (VOC) limits, and lead content restrictions, and enterprises engaged in the production and export of heat-resistant aluminium paint should pay close attention.
Background and Scope
Heat-resistant aluminium paint is mainly used as a finish coat for chimneys, flues, boilers, pipes, furnaces and other equipment or structures exposed to high temperatures, providing heat-resistant and anti-corrosion protection in harsh marine and industrial environments. This revision draft was prepared by the BIS Paints, Varnishes and Related Products Committee (CHD 20), and specifies the requirements, sampling and test methods for heat-resistant aluminium paint; the product shall withstand solvents, normal weathering and temperatures up to 600°C.
Key Revisions
The main revisions of the draft include the following six items:
- New lead content limit: A limit on lead content is specified to protect health.
- Introduction of VOC requirements: New VOC limit requirements and related terms are added, stipulating that the VOC content shall not exceed 650 g/L.
- New quenching test: A quenching test is added to evaluate the heat resistance of the paint film.
- Improved marking requirements: Safety precautions are added to the marking requirements.
- Updated test method references: The test method standards cited in the standard are updated.
- Updated normative references: The Indian standards cited in the standard and their amendments are updated.
Heat-Resistance Grades and Technical Requirements
The draft classifies heat-resistant aluminium paint into three grades by maximum service temperature: Grade 1 (up to 600°C), Grade 2 (up to 400°C) and Grade 3 (up to 200°C), and enterprises may select the appropriate grade according to the actual service temperature. The revised technical requirements are shown in the table below:
|
No. |
Characteristic |
Requirement |
|
1 |
Drying time (h, max) |
a) Surface dry: 1; b) Tack free: 3; c) Hard dry: 18 |
|
2 |
Non-volatile matter and pigment content (percent by mass, min) |
30% |
|
3 |
Flash point |
Above 27°C |
|
4 |
Colour |
Agreed between purchaser and supplier |
|
5 |
Appearance |
Bright, smooth and glossy |
|
6 |
Scratch hardness (750 g load) |
Pass the test |
|
7 |
Flexibility and adhesion (after 48 h) |
Pass the test |
|
8 |
Corrosion resistance (7 d) |
Pass the test |
|
9 |
Consistency (min) |
20 s |
|
10 |
Mass (kg/10 L) |
Deviation from the approved/declared value not exceeding ±3% |
|
11 |
VOC content (g/L, max) |
650 |
Note: The technical requirements in the table are taken from the Wide Circulation Draft; the final requirements are subject to the officially published text.
Packaging and Marking
For packaging, the draft requires the product to be packed in the manner agreed between the purchaser and the supplier. For marking, the container shall be marked with the product name, grade, manufacturer’s name, capacity, batch or batch identification number, date of manufacture, lead content, VOC content and safety warnings. Products conforming to this standard may apply for certification under the relevant BIS regulations.
ChemRadar Insights
Enterprises exporting paints and related products to India may focus on the following items:
- Verify product compliance: Enterprises producing or exporting heat-resistant aluminium paint should check their products against the draft for compliance with requirements such as drying time, non-volatile matter content, flash point, consistency, VOC (≤650 g/L) and lead content limits, and confirm the heat-resistance grade the products correspond to (600/400/200°C); the newly introduced VOC and lead requirements deserve particular attention.
- Watch testing and marking changes: The new quenching test and the updated test method references may affect enterprises’ testing and verification arrangements; the marking requirements add safety precautions and the declaration of lead and VOC content, so the packaging labels of export products must be adjusted accordingly.
- Submit comments in time: Comments are due by October 24, 2026. Enterprises with comments on the technical requirements, test methods, or grading approach may submit them to BIS before the deadline; once the revision is officially published, the relevant products must comply with the new version of the standard.
