Containing by weight more than 4% of carbon

High-carbon ferro-chromium and ferro-alloys above 4% carbon

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7202 41 00 (ferro-alloys containing by weight more than 4% carbon, including high-carbon ferro-chrome) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024, by virtue of S.O. 3716(E). Steel Import Monitoring System registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7202 41 00

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) · effective 29-08-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against the Indian Standard mapped to HSN 7202 41 00 in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure every consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-licensed manufacturer. The test certificate must be consignment-specific and traceable to the batch being imported.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Confirm each lot bears the ISI mark under the supplier's CM/L licence in accordance with Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The standard mark must appear on the product or its primary packaging as specified under the licence.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Pay the registration fee of ₹500; the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days from issue and must remain within validity on the arrival date.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · ITC (HS) policy condition 5 of Chapter 72
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS automatic registration number on the bill of entry, supported by the test certificate. Comply with Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Instruction 16/2025-CUS as modified by Instruction 23/2025-CUS regarding verification of the Indian Standard of the input material against the QCO-mapped standard.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 maps every ferro-alloy sub-type to a single, self-evident IS number. Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) maps specific product descriptions to specific Indian Standards; a CM/L licence valid for one ferro-alloy grade or carbon-content range does not automatically cover an adjacent grade. Importers who present a CM/L licence without confirming its Schedule 1 product-scope alignment to the consignment's actual carbon content and alloy composition face detention and the statutory disposal-as-scrap consequence under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7202 41 00 require BIS certification?

Yes. Ferro-alloys containing more than 4% carbon by weight are bound by the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 under S.O. 3716(E); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is SIMS registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. Steel Import Monitoring System registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and is independent of the BIS QCO obligation. The fee is ₹500, the registration is valid for 75 days, and application may be made no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

Do the SIMS carve-outs for re-import for packaging or SEZ-to-DTA movements also waive the BIS QCO requirement?

No. The SIMS carve-outs under DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 relate solely to SIMS registration. The BIS QCO obligation under S.O. 3716(E) continues to apply regardless of the SIMS exemption basis.

What happens to a consignment of high-carbon ferro-chrome that does not conform to the mapped Indian Standard?

Under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024, sub-standard or defective product must be disposed of as scrap in a manner that avoids violation of Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016; re-export or sale in the domestic market is not an option.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.