Rubber insulated, of a kind used in telecommunication

Rubber-insulated telecommunication cables fitted with connectors

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · IS 14494

HSN 8544 42 93 (rubber-insulated telecommunication cables fitted with connectors) is covered by Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Orders. Conformity to IS 14494:2019 and IS 9968 is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme, with obligations arising under two separate QCOs: the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 and the Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003. A Tariff Rate Quota allocation administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay for copper-content cables under the India-Nepal Treaty.

What this is

HSN code

8544 42 93

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 14494:2019 · 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
Verify that the foreign manufacturer holds a current BIS CM/L licence against the applicable Indian Standard for the cable type being imported: IS 14494:2019 for elastomer-insulated flexible cables for use in mines, IS 9968 (Part 1) for elastomer-insulated cables rated up to and including 1100 V, or IS 9968 (Part 2):2002 for elastomer-insulated cables rated 3.3 kV up to 33 kV. Confirm licence scope covers the specific voltage rating, conductor size, and manufacturing facility.
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
Ensure every cable length bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L licence number, together with markings for voltage rating, conductor cross-section, and IS designation. Marking must appear on the cable itself at prescribed intervals, not only on the outer packaging or reel label.
ISI Mark Scheme · Scheme-I of the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · IS 14494:2019; IS 9968 (Part 1); IS 9968 (Part 2):2002
3
Determine which Quality Control Order governs the consignment and quote the correct QCO notification reference on the bill of entry. Cables covered by the Cables QCO 2020 require citation of S.O. 294(E); cables under the Electrical Wires QCO 2003 require citation of S.O. 189(E) as amended. Misquoting the QCO reference causes customs query and consignment detention.
S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020 · S.O. 189(E) dated 17-02-2003
4
If the cables contain copper content and fall within the 10,000 MT Tariff Rate Quota for Chapter 74 and CTH 8544 under the revised India-Nepal Treaty, obtain TRQ allocation from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade before shipment. Quote the TRQ allocation reference on the bill of entry.
DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 dated 22-06-2023 · para 2.92 of the Handbook of Procedures, 2023

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is treating it as a single-IS, single-QCO product. HSN 8544 42 93 sits at the intersection of two active Quality Control Orders — the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 (IS 14494:2019 and IS 9968 Part 2) and the Electrical Wires QCO, 2003 (IS 9968 Part 1) — and the applicable IS depends entirely on the cable's voltage rating and end-use specification. An importer who presents a CM/L licence valid only for one voltage band when the consignment spans both rating tiers will face port detention on the out-of-scope portion, with demurrage and ground rent accruing until the supplier produces a second licence covering the balance.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8544 42 93 require BIS certification?

Yes. Import is permitted only from manufacturers holding a current BIS CM/L licence against IS 14494:2019, IS 9968 (Part 1), or IS 9968 (Part 2):2002, as applicable to the cable's voltage rating, under the ISI Mark Scheme.

Which Quality Control Order applies to cables under this HSN?

Two QCOs apply depending on cable type: the Cables (Quality Control) Order, 2020 (S.O. 294(E)) governs IS 14494:2019 and IS 9968 Part 2; the Electrical Wires, Cables, Appliances and Protection Devices and Accessories (Quality Control) Order, 2003 (S.O. 189(E)) governs IS 9968 Part 1 cables rated up to 1100 V.

Does the Tariff Rate Quota for copper cables affect every consignment under this HSN?

No. The TRQ administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 applies only to copper-content cables under the India-Nepal Treaty allocation of 10,000 MT for CTH 8544. Consignments outside that origin and commodity scope are unaffected.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all voltage ratings and cable constructions in this tariff line?

No. The CM/L is standard-specific and voltage-band-specific; a licence against IS 9968 (Part 1) does not cover cables rated above 1100 V, and a licence against IS 14494:2019 is confined to the mine-application specification.

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