Of non alloy steel, forged

Forged hollow drill bars and rods of non-alloy steel

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7228 80 20 (forged hollow drill bars and rods of non-alloy steel) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Conformity to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of S.O. 3716(E) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 29 August 2024. 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

7228 80 20

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS per 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 hollow drill bars and rods in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Verify the CM/L number, product scope, and licensed 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
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer. Every bar and rod must also physically bear the standard mark under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500, registration valid for 75 days; the registration must remain within validity on the date of arrival.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023 · Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72
4
For any consignment imported without BIS CM/L certification, apply on the TCQCO portal for a per-consignment clarification as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Ensure compliance with the CBIC clarification at F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023 read alongside that circular.
Ministry of Steel circular F.No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-CUS.III dated 09-11-2023
5
Quote both the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry, in strict compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025. Sub-standard or defective material that does not conform to the notified standard must be disposed of as scrap under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016

A word of counsel

The most consequential oversight on this tariff line is failing to identify the precise IS number mapped to hollow drill bars and rods in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 before vendor selection — since the CM/L licence is IS-number-specific and facility-specific, a consignment sourced from a manufacturer whose licence references a different IS serial or a different plant in Schedule 1 will be detained at port regardless of SIMS compliance. Separately, S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 deferred enforcement of certain Schedule 1 IS entries; importers must confirm whether the specific serial number covering this product is within the deferred set or remains live before concluding that BIS certification is currently enforceable.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7228 80 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Forged hollow drill bars and rods of non-alloy steel fall under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1, with effect from 29 August 2024.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is an independent customs-clearance overlay administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under Policy Condition 5 of Chapter 72. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, apply no earlier than 60 days before arrival; SIMS registration does not substitute for BIS CM/L certification.

Does S.O. 5134(E) affect enforcement of the BIS QCO for this HSN?

S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspended enforcement of specified IS serial numbers in Schedule 1 for one or three years from that date. Importers must verify whether the Schedule 1 serial number covering hollow drill bars and rods of non-alloy steel is within the deferred set before concluding on current enforceability.

Does one CM/L licence cover all sizes and specifications of hollow drill bars and rods from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L is scope-specific by IS number, product specification, and licensed manufacturing facility; bars or rods outside the licensed scope, or produced at an unlicensed plant, are not covered and attract detention at the point of customs examination.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.