Drop rods

Drop rods of iron or steel for structural use

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7308 90 20 (drop rods of iron or steel) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 1161:2014 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 21 January 2020, by virtue of the Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020. 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

7308 90 20

Chapter

73 · Articles of iron or steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1161:2014 · effective 21-01-2020

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 IS 1161:2014 for steel tubes for structural purposes. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, size range, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 281(E) dated 21-01-2020 · IS 1161:2014
2
Ensure each drop rod bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number under Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking must appear on the product itself and not on packaging alone.
Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal not earlier than 60 days before the expected arrival date. The fee is ₹500 and the automatic registration number remains valid for 75 days; it 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
4
Quote both the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the SIMS registration number on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register and SIMS against the DGFT portal; either being absent, expired, or scope-mismatched triggers consignment detention.
ITC HS policy condition 2 of Chapter 73 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment is a re-import of steel for packaging purposes only, or an SEZ-to-DTA movement, document the SIMS exemption basis. The BIS QCO obligation under IS 1161:2014 is not waived by either SIMS carve-out — the ISI-marked product requirement continues to apply.
DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022

A word of counsel

The single most consequential error on this tariff line is overlooking the product-scope specificity of IS 1161:2014, which covers steel tubes for structural purposes — drop rods are classified here precisely because they fall within that tube-for-structure scope. Importers who source from a supplier holding a CM/L against a different IS standard (for example, a fluid-service tube standard) face detention at port even where the physical product appears identical, because the CM/L scope and the QCO-notified standard must correspond exactly to IS 1161:2014. Confirm the IS number on the supplier's CM/L certificate character-for-character before shipment, not upon arrival.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7308 90 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Drop rods under this tariff line require conformity to IS 1161:2014 under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 21 January 2020, by virtue of the Steel Tubes (Quality Control) Order, 2020. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence covering the relevant size range and facility.

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, validity is 75 days, and registration may be applied for no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival.

Are octagonal steel columns for lamp posts also classified under HSN 7308 90 20?

No. Per Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs Circular 17/13-CUS dated 11-04-2013, octagonal steel columns for lamp posts are classifiable under HSN 7308 90 90, not HSN 7308 90 20.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all tube sizes and structural variants from the same manufacturer?

No. The CM/L licence is scope-specific by size range, product variant, and manufacturing facility; drop rods outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and customs will detain the consignment on a scope mismatch.

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