Steel & Iron
India is the world's second-largest producer of crude steel, with installed capacity exceeding 175 million…
ISI MARK · 635 LINES · 99 STANDARDS
India is the world's second-largest producer of crude steel, with installed capacity exceeding 175 million tonnes and a National Steel Policy target of 300 million tonnes by 2030. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified 566 eight-digit HSN codes across Chapters 72 (iron and steel) and 73 (articles of iron or steel) as compulsory-certification products, every one of them tracked against an Indian Standard from a controlled pool of 46 IS specifications. Within this universe the foundational standards are IS 2062 (hot-rolled medium and high tensile structural steel), IS 1786 (high strength deformed steel bars and wires for concrete reinforcement), IS 1079 (cold-reduced carbon steel sheet and strip), and IS 277 (galvanised steel sheet), but the notified pool reaches into stainless steel (IS 6911), tinplate (IS 1993), tool steel (IS 3749), and dozens of grade-specific alloy and product-form standards.
The dominant scheme is the ISI Mark Scheme under Scheme-I of Schedule-II of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, 2018. All 566 HSN codes in the industry sit within this scheme, with no Compulsory Registration Scheme (CRS) or Scheme-X overlap. The governing instrument is the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 issued by the Ministry of Steel under Section 16 of the BIS Act, 2016 and notified as S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024. This Order consolidated earlier product-specific QCOs into a single coherent regime and brought several stainless and alloy-steel grades under compulsory certification for the first time. The Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade operates as a parallel upstream registration: importers must register every consignment on the SIMS portal 15 to 60 days before the bill of entry, and customs cross-references SIMS data against the BIS portal (manakonline.in) at the port of arrival.
Three recurring pain points dominate enforcement. First, secondary re-rollers ship IS 2062 structural steel without legible heat-number and batch traceability stamped on the section, a violation of clause 11 of IS 2062 that triggers raid action under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016. Second, importers mis-declare alloy steel (Chapter 7224 onward) as carbon steel (Chapter 7208) to escape the alloy-grade IS standards that carry stricter testing protocols — the misdeclaration surfaces on customs sample testing and ends in confiscation. Third, the FMCS pipeline for foreign mills exporting through trader chains: Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese mills routinely supply Indian importers via Singapore or Dubai traders without holding an FMCS licence in the producing mill's name, and customs verification at the port matches the mill of origin on the mill test certificate against the BIS database, not the trader's invoice.
At a glance
635
Tariff lines (8-digit HSN)
99
Indian Standards in industry
72 · 73
HSN chapters mapped
ISI
Primary mark scheme
Who it affects
Indian manufacturers
The Indian steel industry splits between integrated steel producers (Tata Steel, JSW, SAIL, Jindal Steel) that hold BIS licences against multiple cohorts of IS standards, and several thousand secondary mills, re-rollers, and induction-furnace units that must hold IS-2062-against-IS-1786 cohort licences to legally roll structural sections and reinforcement bars for the domestic construction market. Operating an electric arc furnace, induction furnace, or rolling mill without a CM/L licence against the applicable IS standard exposes the unit to seizure of stock, retrospective duty on past sales, and prosecution under Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.
Foreign manufacturers
Foreign steel mills exporting to India — predominantly Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese producers — must obtain an FMCS licence under Scheme-I of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, 2018 before any ISI-marked consignment can pass Indian customs, with the typical timeline running 6 to 9 months from application to grant. The Authorised Indian Representative (AIR) named on the application carries personal statutory liability under Rule 11 of the BIS Conformity Assessment Regulations, 2018 for the foreign mill's ongoing compliance, including sample submission, surveillance fees, and marking-fee remittance. Trader-chain visibility is the operational hazard: customs matches the mill of origin printed on the mill test certificate against the BIS portal, and a mismatch — even where a trader holds a separate licence — triggers detention.
Importers
Customs verification at JNPT, Mundra, Kandla, Chennai, and every major bulk-cargo Indian port is conducted in real time against the BIS portal (manakonline.in), overlaid with the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) registration number on the bill of entry. A lapsed, suspended, or mismatched FMCS licence on a steel consignment results in immediate consignment detention at the wharf. Demurrage on bulk steel cargoes accrues from day 1 at rates that compound rapidly given the cargo volumes involved, and re-export of detained steel is a 4 to 8 week process at the importer's cost.
Applicable Indian Standards
IS 15997IS 15997 specifies the requirements for low-nickel austenitic stainless steel flat products supplied as sheet, plate, strip and coil for utensil-grade and ge…IS 5522IS 5522 specifies the requirements for stainless steel sheet and strip used for utensils, kitchenware and similar consumer end-use applications. The standard…IS 6911IS 6911 specifies the requirements for stainless steel plate, sheet and strip, covering hot-rolled and cold-rolled flat product across austenitic, ferritic a…IS 302IS 302 is the general safety standard for household and similar electrical appliances, applied as the parent code with appliance-specific Part-numbers (washi…IS 1079:2017IS 1079 is the Indian Standard governing strip, plates, sheets, covering 53 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Sch…IS 1804:2004IS 1804 is cited across cordage, twine and netting products of Chapter 56, alloy steel wire of Chapter 72 and stranded wire and ropes of Chapter 73 covered u…IS 2062IS 2062 is the Indian Standard governing strip, plates, sheets, covering 33 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Sch…IS 6419:1996IS 6419 specifies the requirements for welding rods and bare electrodes used in gas welding and tungsten inert gas welding of structural steel. The standard …IS 814:2004IS 814 specifies the requirements for covered electrodes for manual metal arc welding of carbon and carbon-manganese steel. The standard governs wire rods, p…IS 513IS 513 is the Indian Standard governing strip, plates, sheets, covering 20 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Sche…IS 17876:2022IS 17876 specifies the requirements for welded stainless steel tubes and pipes of circular and non-circular cross-section produced by longitudinal, helical o…IS 17803:2022IS 17803 specifies the safety and performance requirements for cookware and kitchen utensils made of stainless steel, copper, copper alloys and aluminium, in…IS 01IS 01 is the Indian Standard governing wire netting, other utensils, other, including parts, covering 21 tariff items under HSN Chapters 73, 72 and 84. Compl…IS 15833:2009IS 15833 specifies the requirements for steel wood screws, machine screws, self-tapping screws and associated fasteners used in joinery, light construction a…IS 16014:2018IS 16014 specifies the requirements for mild-steel wire of varying gauge supplied as galvanised stay wire and binding wire for construction, fencing and elec…IS 10238:2001IS 10238 specifies the requirements for slotted countersunk-head screws, including thread profile, head geometry and mechanical property class. The standard …IS 12427:2001IS 12427 specifies the requirements for cold-forged hexagon-headed and machine screws, wood screws, coach screws, self-tapping screws and screw hooks. The st…IS 1363IS 1363 specifies the requirements for hexagon head bolts, screws and nuts of product grade C, covering threaded steel fasteners used in general engineering,…IS 1364IS 1364 specifies the requirements for hexagon head bolts, screws and nuts of product grades A and B, governing precision threaded steel fasteners used in ma…IS 3757:1985IS 3757:1985 specifies the dimensional, material grade, hardness and surface-finish requirements for high-strength structural bolts of property class 8.8 and…IS 4621:1975IS 4621 specifies the recommended dimensions for hexagon socket-head cap screws, prescribing thread series, head diameter, socket size, depth-of-engagement a…IS 5187:1972IS 5187 specifies the requirements for slotted countersunk flat head wood screws, including dimensions, head form, thread profile, mechanical properties and …IS 6623:2004IS 6623 specifies the requirements for high strength structural nuts, prescribing dimensions, mechanical properties, proof load, hardness and surface finish …IS 17153:2019IS 17153:2019 covers electric ovens, cookers, cooking plates, boiling rings, grillers and roasters classified under HSN 8516 60 00. The standard sets safety,…IS 10109IS 10109 is the Indian Standard governing other stoves, cookers and kitchen stoves, other stoves and appliances, covering 12 tariff items under HSN Chapter 7…IS 1342IS 1342 is the Indian Standard governing other stoves, cookers and kitchen stoves, other stoves and appliances, covering 12 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73…IS 2787IS 2787 is the Indian Standard governing other stoves, cookers and kitchen stoves, other stoves and appliances, covering 12 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73…IS 18427:2024IS 18427 specifies the requirements for plain, lacquered, printed and embossed tinplate and aluminium containers used for packing food, beverages, edible oil…IS 1269:1997IS 1269 is cited under successive Quality Control Orders covering narrow-fabric textile articles of man-made fibres and forged or fabricated steel articles c…IS 17404:2020IS 17404 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 6 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance i…IS 16651:2017IS 16651 is the Indian Standard governing of below 80 mm, covering 3 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and…IS 10748:2004IS 10748 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, plain and corrugated, painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 4 tariff items under HSN Ch…IS 11513:2017IS 11513 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, plain and corrugated, painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 4 tariff items under HSN Ch…IS 17875:2022IS 17875 specifies the requirements for cold-drawn and cold-rolled (cold-reduced) tubes, pipes and hollow profiles of stainless steel intended for general en…IS 18471IS 18471 specifies the requirements for hexagon-head and socket-head bolts, screws and studs of property class 8.8 and above used in structural, automotive a…IS 18476:2023IS 18476 specifies the requirements for hexagon-head and flange-head bolts and screws of property classes up to 6.8 used in general engineering, light struct…IS 18480IS 18480 specifies the requirements for self-tapping, self-drilling and thread-forming screws used to join sheet metal, timber, plastics and composite substr…IS 18507:2024IS 18507 specifies the requirements for slotted, cross-recess and other machine screws of small diameter used in electrical, electronic, instrumentation and …IS 18508:2024IS 18508 specifies the requirements for set screws, grub screws and headless threaded fasteners used in shaft-collar, pulley, gear and machine-element retent…IS 18509:2023IS 18509 specifies the requirements for wood screws, screw hooks and screw rings used in joinery, furniture, light construction and fitting applications. The…IS 1879:2010IS 1879 specifies the requirements for malleable cast iron threaded pipe fittings used for water, gas, steam and air service. The standard governs material g…IS 2403:2014IS 2403:2014 specifies the dimensional, material and load-bearing requirements for short-pitch transmission precision roller chains, bush chains, attachments…IS 7483:2018IS 7483 specifies the requirements for cross recessed pan head tapping screws, prescribing dimensions, thread form, drive recess geometry and mechanical case…IS 7485IS 7485 specifies the requirements for cross recessed countersunk head tapping screws, prescribing head form, recess geometry, thread profile and case-hardne…IS 7486:2018IS 7486 specifies the dimensional and mechanical requirements for hexagon screws used in industrial fastening, covering machine screws, self-tapping screws, …IS 14756:2024IS 14756 specifies the safety and performance requirements for domestic pressure cookers manufactured from stainless steel, aluminium and other ferrous and n…IS 4246IS 4246 (Specification for domestic gas stoves for use with liquefied petroleum gases) is the Indian Standard covering construction, safety and performance r…IS 5986:2017IS 5986 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, plain and corrugated, covering 3 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the …IS 11946:1987IS 11946 specifies the requirements for hot-dip zinc-iron alloy coated (galvannealed) steel sheet and strip of width 600 mm or more. The standard governs bas…IS 210:2009IS 210 is the Indian Standard governing sg iron cast fittings, sponge iron cast fittings, covering 5 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandato…IS 1161IS 1161 (Specification for steel tubes for structural purposes) is the Indian Standard covering the dimensions, material grades and mechanical-property requi…IS 14255:1995IS 14255 specifies the requirements for aluminium-clad steel wire used in earth-wire and overhead-conductor applications. The standard prescribes wire diamet…IS 15961:2012IS 15961 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory un…IS 1726:1991IS 1726 specifies the requirements for cast iron manhole covers, frames, gratings and ancillary articles supplied for drainage chambers, road infrastructure …IS 1729:2002IS 1729 is the Indian Standard governing soil pipe, spun pipe, rain water pipe, covering 4 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under t…IS 1856:2005IS 1856 specifies the requirements for steel wire ropes used for general engineering purposes, covering black and galvanised constructions used in hoisting, …IS 2266:2019IS 2266 specifies the requirements for steel wire ropes used in general engineering, hoisting, elevator and material-handling applications. The standard pres…IS 2365:2018IS 2365 specifies the requirements for steel wire suspension ropes used for lifts, escalators and similar passenger and goods-conveying installations. The st…IS 4521:2001IS 4521 specifies the requirements for steel wire ropes and strands for general engineering applications, including dimensions, lay construction, wire grade,…IS 11587:1986IS 11587 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, plated or coated with aluminium-zinc alloys, covering 3 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance…IS 12145:1987IS 12145 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory und…IS 14246:2013IS 14246 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory und…IS 15103:2002IS 15103 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, plated or coated with aluminium-zinc alloys, covering 3 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance…IS 1536:2001IS 1536 is the Indian Standard governing soil pipe, spun pipe, rain water pipe, covering 4 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under t…IS 15905:2011IS 15905 is the Indian Standard governing soil pipe, spun pipe, rain water pipe, covering 4 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under …IS 15962:2012IS 15962 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory und…IS 15965:2012IS 15965 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory und…IS 2385:1977IS 2385 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory unde…IS 277IS 277 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, covering 3 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the…IS 3989:2009IS 3989 is the Indian Standard governing soil pipe, spun pipe, rain water pipe, covering 4 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under t…IS 13349:1992IS 13349 is the Indian Standard mapped to 2 tariff items under HSN Chapters 73 and 84. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling …IS 13983:1994IS 13983 specifies the requirements for stainless steel sinks for domestic and commercial use, including single-bowl, double-bowl and drainboard configuratio…IS 14491IS 14491 is the Indian Standard mapped to 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling Quality …IS 15155:2020IS 15155 is the Indian Standard mapped to 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling Quality …IS 1537:1976IS 1537 is the Indian Standard governing soil pipe, rain water pipe, covering 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark…IS 2347:2017IS 2347 specifies the safety and performance requirements for domestic pressure cookers manufactured from stainless steel and aluminium. The standard prescri…IS 2507:1975IS 2507 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory unde…IS 278:2009IS 278 is the Indian Standard governing barbed wire, covering 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the …IS 3196IS 3196 is the Indian Standard governing liquefied petroleum gas (lpg) cylinder, low pressure cylinder (working pressure up to 35.2 kg/sq.cm other than lpg),…IS 3298:1981IS 3298 is the Indian Standard governing rivets, covering 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the cont…IS 3502IS 3502 is the Indian Standard mapped to 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling Quality C…IS 5478:1969IS 5478 is the Indian Standard governing galvannealed, covering 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and th…IS 6240IS 6240 is the Indian Standard mapped to 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling Quality C…IS 6913IS 6913 is the Indian Standard governing welded ,of stainless steel, other, welded, of circular cross-section, of stainless steel, covering 2 tariff items un…IS 7291IS 7291 is the Indian Standard mapped to 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling Quality C…IS 8329IS 8329 is the Indian Standard governing spun pipe, tubes and pipes, covering 2 tariff items under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark…IS 11947:1987IS 11947 specifies the requirements for cold-formed and cold-finished light gauge steel sections produced from flat-rolled product. The standard governs prof…IS 12313IS 12313 is the Indian Standard governing plated or coated with lead, including terne-plate, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is manda…IS 1239IS 1239 is the Indian Standard mapped to 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling Quality Co…IS 14899IS 14899 is the Indian Standard governing liquefied petroleum gas (lpg) cylinder, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under …IS 1855:2022IS 1855 specifies the requirements for cold-drawn round steel wire used as feedstock for the manufacture of steel wire ropes. The standard governs tensile st…IS 2141:2000IS 2141 specifies the requirements for hot-dip galvanised stranded steel wire used in overhead transmission lines, stay-wire applications and similar tension…IS 3748:2022IS 3748 is the Indian Standard governing painted, coloured or coated with plastics, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory unde…IS 4270IS 4270 is the Indian Standard governing above 219.1 mm outer diameter, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Ma…IS 6392IS 6392 (Specification for steel pipe flanges) is the Indian Standard covering the dimensions, materials and tolerances for steel pipe flanges used in proces…IS 7142IS 7142 is the Indian Standard governing high pressure cylinder (working pressure exceeding 35.2 kg/sq.cm), covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 73. Comp…IS 7285IS 7285 is the Indian Standard governing high pressure cylinder (working pressure exceeding 35.2 kg/sq.cm), covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 73. Comp…IS 7312IS 7312 is the Indian Standard mapped to 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 73. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme and the controlling Quality Co…IS 9139IS 9139 is the Indian Standard governing shot and angular grit, covering 1 tariff item under HSN Chapter 72. Compliance is mandatory under the ISI Mark Schem…
Tariff lines by chapter
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Speak to an Expert Frequently asked
Which steel HSN codes need BIS certification in India?
All 566 notified eight-digit HSN codes across Chapters 72 and 73 require BIS certification under the ISI Mark Scheme, covering ferrous primary forms (pig iron, ingots, billets, blooms), flat products (hot-rolled, cold-reduced, galvanised, tinplated), long products (bars, rods, sections, wire), stainless and alloy steel, and downstream articles such as tubes, fittings, drums, fasteners, springs, and household steelware. The governing instrument is the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 notified as S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024.
What is the SIMS portal and how does it relate to BIS for steel imports?
The Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) is an upstream pre-import registration regime administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade under the Foreign Trade (Development and Regulation) Act, 1992, requiring importers to register consignments 15 to 60 days before the bill of entry. SIMS operates in parallel with the BIS regime, not in substitution: customs cross-references SIMS data against the BIS portal at the port, and a valid SIMS registration does not cure a missing or invalid FMCS licence.
Can secondary-mill steel without BIS certification be sold in India?
No. Manufacture, sale, storage, or distribution of any notified steel product without a valid CM/L licence is a statutory offence under Section 17(1)(b) of the BIS Act, 2016, attracting monetary penalty up to ₹2 lakh for a first offence under Sections 29 through 33 of the BIS Act, 2016 and criminal liability including imprisonment up to two years for repeat offences. BIS enforcement officers conduct surprise raids on secondary mills, induction-furnace units, and re-roller premises, and seize uncertified stock for confiscation.
How long does FMCS take for a foreign steel mill?
The FMCS application-to-grant timeline for a foreign steel mill runs 6 to 9 months on average, comprising application filing on manakonline.in, appointment of an Authorised Indian Representative (AIR), BIS officer travel to the foreign factory for inspection, sample drawing and testing at a BIS-recognised Indian laboratory, and grant of the product-and-facility-specific CM/L licence. Mills shipping multiple product cohorts (carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel) require separate applications and inspections per IS standard.
What is the BIS position on alloy steel vs carbon steel classification?
BIS treats alloy steel and carbon steel as distinct cohorts governed by separate Indian Standards — carbon steel flat products fall under IS 2062, IS 1079, and IS 277, while alloy steel grades sit under IS 4432, IS 5517, IS 6911 (stainless), and product-specific alloy standards starting at HSN 7224. The chemical composition test conducted by BIS-recognised laboratories during certification is determinative, and importers who declare alloy steel as carbon steel to escape stricter alloy-grade requirements face confiscation under the Customs Act, 1962 read with Section 17 of the BIS Act, 2016.
Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-23. Source: BIS / DGFT / Indian Customs CUSDATA.
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