Rubber insulated
Rubber and elastomer insulated electric cables (non-telecom)
HSN 8544 49 30 (rubber and elastomer insulated electric cables, other than telecommunication grade) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS 14494:2019 (and allied standards IS 9968, IS 2593, IS 17293:2020, and IS 17505) is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme with effect from 26 February 2024. Directorate General of Foreign Trade policy controls, including TRQ allocation procedures for copper products, apply as a separate customs-clearance overlay.
Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade.
- 1Verify the foreign manufacturer's BIS CM/L licence number against the applicable Indian Standard on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order. The correct IS depends on cable type: IS 14494:2019 for elastomer insulated flexible cables for mines, IS 9968 (Part 1) for elastomer cables up to 1100 V, IS 9968 (Part 2):2002 for elastomer cables from 3.3 kV to 33 kV, IS 2593:1984 for miners cap-lamp flexible cables, IS 17293:2020 for solar DC cables, and IS 17505 (Part 1):2021 for fire survival cables.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; Solar DC Cable and Fire Survival Cable (Quality Control) Order, 2023 · S.O. 3807(E) dated 24-08-2023
- 2Confirm the licensed scope of the CM/L covers the specific cable type, voltage rating, and manufacturing facility for the consignment. A single CM/L does not span multiple IS standards or product families; a licence for IS 9968 (Part 1) does not extend to solar DC cable under IS 17293:2020.BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II
- 3Ensure every cable in the consignment bears the ISI mark and the supplier's CM/L number on the product or drum label in the format required by Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Marking on outer packaging alone is insufficient.Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
- 4Quote the supplier's BIS CM/L number, the relevant IS number, and the applicable QCO notification reference on the bill of entry. Customs verifies the CM/L in real time; an absent, expired, or scope-mismatched licence triggers consignment detention, demurrage, and potential re-export.S.O. 189(E) dated 17-02-2003; S.O. 294(E) dated 21-01-2020; S.O. 3807(E) dated 24-08-2023; BIS Act, 2016; Customs Act, 1962
- 5If the consignment forms part of copper-product imports under the India-Nepal Treaty TRQ allocation, ensure DGFT TRQ authorisation is obtained and quoted on the bill of entry per the revised procedure for Chapter 74 and CTH 8544 for the relevant financial year.DGFT Public Notice 17/2023 dated 22-06-2023 · HBP 2023 para 2.92
The most common error on this tariff line is applying a single IS standard and CM/L licence across all rubber and elastomer cable variants in the consignment — treating the five applicable IS standards as interchangeable. The voltage rating and end-use application (mining, solar DC, fire survival, low-voltage general) determines which IS governs each cable type, and each requires its own scope-specific CM/L; a licence under IS 9968 (Part 1) is not valid cover for fire survival cable under IS 17505 (Part 1):2021, and customs verification at port is IS-code-specific. Blended consignments with multiple cable families must carry individually matched CM/L references for each product type.