Forging quality

Semi-finished forging-quality steel with 0.25% or more carbon

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7207 20 10 (semi-finished forging-quality steel containing 0.25% or more carbon by weight) 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 (SIMS) registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7207 20 10

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products QCO, 2024 · 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 whose licence is mapped against the Indian Standard listed for this CTI in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024. Verify the CM/L number, licensed product scope, and facility address 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 each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. The product must itself bear the standard mark; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the obligation.
Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal before shipment. Fee ₹500, registration valid 75 days; apply no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The SIMS carve-outs for re-import of goods for packaging only and for SEZ-to-DTA movements are documented — confirm in writing if your transaction qualifies.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · DGFT Policy Circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
For any consignment being imported without a BIS CM/L licence, apply on the TCQCO portal for clarification as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023, and ensure compliance with the CBIC clarification at F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023. Absence of this documentation on the bill of entry triggers detention.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 (F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech) · CBIC F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry, and confirm applicability of CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 regarding mandatory SIMS portal registration for input materials under the QCO.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most common failure on this tariff line is assuming that because no specific IS number is visible in the importer's shipping documents, the BIS QCO obligation is dormant or inapplicable. The Indian Standard is mapped by serial number in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024; a gap in the importer's own records does not extinguish the statutory obligation. Importers who proceed without confirming the operative IS number and a matching CM/L against it face consignment detention, mandatory TCQCO portal clarification, and potential disposal of sub-standard material as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7207 20 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Semi-finished forging-quality steel under this tariff line must conform to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products (Quality Control) Order, 2024, and be imported only from a manufacturer holding a current BIS CM/L licence under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required in addition to BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered independently by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade; fee ₹500, valid 75 days, applied for no earlier than 60 days before arrival. Re-imports for packaging only and qualifying SEZ-to-DTA movements are exempt from SIMS under documented carve-outs.

Do the Schedule 1 deferrals under S.O. 5134(E) affect this tariff item?

The deferrals under S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspend enforcement for specific serial numbers in Schedule 1 for either one or three years from gazette publication. Importers must confirm whether the serial number mapped to HSN 7207 20 10 is among the deferred entries before each shipment.

What happens if the consignment is imported without a BIS CM/L licence?

Sub-standard or unlicensed product must be disposed of as scrap under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016, and the importer must seek prior clarification through the TCQCO portal per the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Non-compliance exposes the importer to detention, monetary penalty, and criminal liability.

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