Co-axial cable

Co-axial cable and co-axial electric conductors

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 17048

HSN 8544 20 10 (co-axial cable) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 17048:2018 or IS 7098 (Part 1):1988, IS 7098 (Part 2):2011, or IS 7098 (Part 3):1993 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 21 January 2020, by virtue of the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020. Directorate General of Foreign Trade Tariff Rate Quota controls on copper products apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

8544 20 10

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 17048 · effective 21-01-2020

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Identify the applicable Indian Standard before placing a purchase order: IS 17048:2018 for halogen-free flame-retardant cables up to 1100 V; IS 7098 (Part 1):1988 for XLPE/PVC-sheathed cables up to 1100 V; IS 7098 (Part 2):2011 for XLPE cables from 3.3 kV to 33 kV; or IS 7098 (Part 3):1993 for XLPE cables from 66 kV to 220 kV. Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer whose licence covers the relevant standard, voltage class, and manufacturing facility.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020
2
Verify the supplier's CM/L licence number, licensed product scope (standard, voltage class, conductor size range), and licensed manufacturing facility address on the BIS online register before shipment. The licence must remain valid on the date of the bill of entry.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020 · ISI Mark Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Ensure every cable drum or coil bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number per Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. The mark must appear on the product or on a securely attached label traceable to the licensed batch.
Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the applicable IS reference on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L against the BIS register in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched CM/L triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export or confiscation.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment forms part of the India-Nepal Treaty copper-products Tariff Rate Quota allocation (Chapter 74 and CTH 8544), verify TRQ allocation from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 dated 22-06-2023. TRQ compliance is independent of the BIS QCO obligation.
DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 dated 22-06-2023 · HBP para 2.92, 2023

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is sourcing against a single IS number without confirming that the CM/L licence covers the specific voltage class of the imported cable. A supplier licensed under IS 7098 (Part 1):1988 for low-voltage cables is not automatically licensed under IS 7098 (Part 2):2011 for medium-voltage cables, even if both standards appear in the QCO schedule — a voltage-class mismatch between the licensed scope and the consignment's cable specification triggers detention at port regardless of an otherwise valid CM/L.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8544 20 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Co-axial cable under this tariff line requires ISI Mark Scheme certification from a BIS CM/L-licensed manufacturer, mandatory under the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 with effect from 21 January 2020.

Which Indian Standard applies — IS 17048 or IS 7098?

Both are notified under the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020. IS 17048:2018 applies to halogen-free flame-retardant cables up to 1100 V; IS 7098 (Parts 1, 2, and 3) applies to XLPE-insulated cables across voltage classes from 1100 V up to 220 kV. The applicable standard is determined by the cable's insulation type and rated voltage.

Is there a Tariff Rate Quota obligation under the India-Nepal Treaty for copper cables?

A TRQ allocation administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies to copper products under CTH 8544, per DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 dated 22-06-2023. This is a trade-policy overlay independent of the BIS QCO obligation.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all cable specifications from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by standard, voltage class, conductor size range, and manufacturing facility; cables outside the licensed scope or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and will be detained at port.

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