Plastic insulated, of a kind used in telecommunication

Plastic-insulated telecommunication cables fitted with connectors

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 1554

HSN 8544 42 92 (plastic-insulated telecommunication cables fitted with connectors) is covered by two Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Orders. Conformity to IS 1554, IS 7098, IS 17048, IS 5950, and IS 694 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme, with the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 effective from 21 January 2020 and the Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003 effective from 17 February 2003. A Directorate General of Foreign Trade tariff-rate quota mechanism for copper products under CTH 8544 applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

8544 42 92

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1554 · effective 17-02-2003

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 for the specific cable type being imported: IS 1554 (Part 1):1988 for PVC-insulated cables up to 1100 V; IS 1554 (Part 2):1988 for 3.3 kV to 11 kV; IS 7098 (Part 1):1988, (Part 2):2011, or (Part 3):1993 for XLPE cables by voltage; IS 17048:2018 for HFFR cables up to 1100 V; IS 5950:1984 for shot firing cables; or IS 694 for general PVC-insulated cables up to 1100 V.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020 · Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003 · S.O. 189(E) dated 17-02-2003
2
Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number against the applicable IS standard on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order. The CM/L must cover the specific cable type, voltage range, and manufacturing facility named in the purchase order.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020 · ISI Mark Scheme under Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
3
Ensure every cable drum or cable length bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number, traceable to the licensed facility. Marking must appear on the product itself; marking on packaging alone does not satisfy the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018.
BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Scheme-I marking format
4
Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number and the applicable IS reference on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time against the BIS register; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export.
Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 · S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
If the consignment falls within the 10,000 MT copper products tariff-rate quota under the India-Nepal Treaty (covering CTH 8544), verify TRQ allocation from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under paragraph 2.92 of the Handbook of Procedures, 2023 before shipment.
DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 dated 22-06-2023 · Handbook of Procedures, 2023, paragraph 2.92

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating the cable type as a single product and sourcing against one IS standard when the consignment spans multiple cable specifications across different voltage ratings or insulation technologies. Each cable variant — PVC heavy-duty, XLPE, HFFR, shot firing — carries its own IS number and its own CM/L scope; a CM/L that covers IS 1554 (Part 1):1988 does not authorise import of IS 7098 or IS 17048 cables. Mixed-specification consignments where even one variant lacks a matching CM/L face detention of the entire consignment at port.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8544 42 92 require BIS certification?

Yes. Plastic-insulated telecommunication cables fitted with connectors require ISI Mark Scheme CM/L licensing against the applicable Indian Standard under the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 and, where IS 694 applies, the Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003.

Which Indian Standard applies to this HSN, given that multiple IS numbers are listed?

The applicable IS depends on cable construction and voltage rating: IS 1554 (Part 1 or 2) for PVC-insulated heavy-duty cables, IS 7098 (Part 1, 2, or 3) for XLPE cables, IS 17048:2018 for HFFR cables, IS 5950:1984 for shot firing cables, and IS 694 for general PVC-insulated cables up to 1100 V.

Do both Quality Control Orders apply simultaneously to a single consignment?

Potentially yes. IS 694 falls under the Electrical Wires QCO, 2003, while IS 1554, IS 7098, IS 17048, and IS 5950 fall under the Cables QCO, 2020; a mixed consignment containing cable types governed by each QCO must hold CM/L licences under both orders.

Does one CM/L licence cover all cable variants from the same manufacturer?

No. A CM/L licence is specific to the IS number, part number, voltage class, and manufacturing facility; cable types or voltage ranges outside the licensed scope are not covered, and customs detains consignments where the declared IS reference does not match the CM/L register entry.

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