Patrol or surveillance boat, air-cushion vehicle, remote-operated vehicle

Patrol boats, air-cushion vehicles, remote-operated vessels

PARTNER GOVERNMENT AGENCY CLEARANCE

HSN 8906 90 10 (Patrol or surveillance boat, air-cushion vehicle, remote-operated vehicle) is governed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) import policy under the ITC (HS) Schedule. Effective 29 January 2025, the import policy for this tariff line was revised from Restricted to Free under DGFT Notification 55/2024-25, removing the prior licence requirement for importers.

What this is

HSN code

8906 90 10

Chapter

89 · Ships, boats and floating structures

Primary regulator

DGFT · ITC (HS) Free import policy, Chapter 89

Customs documentation

Bill of entry from CBIC
Commercial invoice from exporter

Compliance steps

1
Verify the current import policy status at the bill-of-entry stage: the tariff line 8906 90 10 is classified as Free under the ITC (HS) import policy effective 29 January 2025. No DGFT import licence is required for consignments filed on or after that date.
DGFT Notification 55/2024-25 dated 29-01-2025
2
Confirm that the goods description on the commercial invoice and bill of entry accurately identifies the product as a patrol or surveillance boat, air-cushion vehicle, or remote-operated vehicle to avoid misclassification into a Restricted or otherwise controlled tariff line under Chapter 89.
ITC (HS) Schedule I, Chapter 89, CTI 8906 90 10

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is filing a bill of entry against the pre-revision Restricted policy — using documentation or system entries prepared before the 29 January 2025 change takes effect. Consignments cleared under an outdated system flag as Restricted and are routed for PGA verification, causing detention and demurrage even though no licence is legally required. Confirm the DGFT policy status in ICEGATE reflects the Free classification before vessel departure.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8906 90 10 require BIS certification?

No, this tariff line is not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed solely by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade ITC (HS) policy, which classifies this product as Free for import effective 29 January 2025 under DGFT Notification 55/2024-25.

Was an import licence previously required for HSN 8906 90 10?

Yes. Prior to DGFT Notification 55/2024-25 dated 29 January 2025, this tariff line carried a Restricted import policy requiring a DGFT licence; the revision to Free status removes that requirement for all bills of entry filed on or after 29 January 2025.

Does the Free policy status mean there are no other controls on patrol or surveillance vessels?

The ITC (HS) Free status removes the DGFT licence requirement, but importers should confirm that no other sovereign or defence-related approval applies to the specific end-use and buyer category, as the regulatory record records no additional PGA overlay for this tariff line.

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