Other

Hollow drill bars and rods of alloy or non-alloy steel

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7228 80 90 (hollow drill bars and rods of alloy or non-alloy steel) 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

7228 80 90

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 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
2
Ensure each consignment is accompanied by a test certificate bearing the ISI standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer. Every product must bear the standard mark under a CM/L licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain a clarification on the TCQCO portal before the shipment arrives. This is a mandatory requirement for all steel importers under the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023.
MoS Circular dated 20-10-2023 · CBIC clarification F.No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023
4
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. Fee ₹500; automatic registration valid for 75 days. DTA-to-SEZ movements without value addition and re-imports for packaging are exempt from SIMS registration.
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
5
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry, and verify compliance with CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS as modified by CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS regarding the Indian Standard of the input material. Absent, expired, or scope-mismatched credentials trigger consignment detention.
CBIC Instruction 16/2025-CUS dated 18-06-2025 · CBIC Instruction 23/2025-CUS dated 15-07-2025 · BIS Act, 2016

A word of counsel

The critical trap on HSN 7228 80 90 is assuming that S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 — which suspends enforcement of specified Schedule 1 serial numbers for one or three years — covers this tariff line's mapped Indian Standard. S.O. 5134(E) suspensions are serial-number-specific; importers must cross-reference the exact Schedule 1 serial number for hollow drill bars and rods against the published suspension lists before concluding the QCO is deferred. Importing on an incorrect deferral assumption while the IS obligation remains operative exposes the consignment to detention and mandatory scrap disposal under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.

Need a regulatory steer on this product?

Speak to a regulatory counsel about your specific HSN, IS, and supplier situation.

Speak to an Expert

Frequently asked

Does HSN 7228 80 90 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hollow drill bars and rods under this tariff line must conform to the Indian Standard mapped in Schedule 1 of the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)) 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. Fee ₹500, validity 75 days, application window opens no earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date.

Does the S.O. 5134(E) suspension of certain Schedule 1 entries apply to hollow drill bars and rods under HSN 7228 80 90?

Only if the Schedule 1 serial number mapped to this product appears in the published suspension lists under S.O. 5134(E). Importers must verify the exact serial number against those lists; a generic assumption that the deferral applies without that cross-check is insufficient.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all hollow drill bar specifications and manufacturing facilities?

No. The CM/L licence is scope-specific by product specification, size range, and licensed manufacturing facility; bars or rods outside the licensed scope, or from an unlicensed plant, are not covered and will be detained at port.

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