Fast-track No Objection Certificates (NOC) and technical clarifications from the Ministry of Steel for importing specialized, non-prime, or alloy steel grades not covered by mandatory BIS standards. We prevent customs detention, eliminate port demurrage, and manage full SIMS 2.0 registration.
Steel Quality Control Exemption
Official Clarification
Udyog Bhawan, Ministry of Steel
Customs Out-of-Charge (OOC) Endorsement
The Ministry of Steel (MoS), Government of India, enforces mandatory Steel Quality Control Orders (QCOs) to ensure that steel products manufactured or imported into India conform strictly to designated Bureau of Indian Standards specifications.
However, specialized industries—such as aerospace, defense, precision tooling, petrochemicals, and nuclear engineering—often require specialized prime or alloy steel grades with non-standard chemical compositions or mechanical tolerances that fall outside the purview of existing Indian Standards (IS Codes).
When such specialized steel is imported, Indian Customs detains the shipment unless the importer produces an official No Objection Certificate (NOC) / Exemption Letter issued by the Technical Committee of the Ministry of Steel certifying that the material is exempt from mandatory BIS certification.
Steel consignments without NOC or BIS certification remain stuck at CFS (Container Freight Stations) where demurrage accumulates up to thousands of dollars per day. Filing for NOC before vessel arrival guarantees instantaneous Customs clearance.
An NOC application must be petitioned under the following statutory scenarios:
Steel containing proprietary alloy elements (Nickel, Molybdenum, Titanium) where chemistry does not match any current Indian Standard table.
High-yield strength or cryogenic impact properties exceeding or differing from standard Indian structural specifications.
Specialized imported steel destined strictly for military, aviation, space research, or critical export manufacturing.
When Customs assess your shipment under a mandatory QCO tariff code, an official clarification letter resolves the misclassification.
| Steel Alloy Family | Typical Grades | Chemical Non-Purview Markers | NOC Eligibility Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nickel Superalloys | Inconel 625 / 718, Hastelloy C276 | Ni > 50%, Mo 8-10%, Nb+Ta > 3% (No equivalent Indian Standard) | 100% Eligible for NOC |
| Duplex & Super Duplex | UNS S32205 / S32750 | Pitting Resistance Equivalent (PREN ≥ 40), N > 0.24% | Eligible for Exemption |
| Tool & High-Speed Steels | M2, D2, H13 Tool Steel | High Vanadium (V > 1.5%), Tungsten (W > 5%), Cobalt alloys | Eligible (Specific Chemistries) |
| Standard Carbon / Structural | IS 2062 E250 / IS 1786 Fe500D | Standard plain carbon chemistry covered by active BIS QCOs | Requires BIS License (No NOC) |
All steel imports entering India under Chapter 72, 73, and 86 of ITC (HS) 2017 are governed by the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS 2.0) under the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and Ministry of Steel.
Importers must submit advance import information electronically between 60 days and 15 days prior to expected arrival date of the shipment. Maanak Consultancy manages your end-to-end SIMS 2.0 registration, ensuring your unique Registration Number is generated error-free for inclusion in your Bill of Entry.
• Advance filing of technical grades, country of origin, port of discharge, and invoice CIF values.
• Generation of unique SIMS Registration Number mandatory for ICEGATE customs portal sign-off.
• Real-time liaison with Ministry technical desks for any classification holds.
Our metallurgists inspect your Mill Test Certificate (MTC) to identify non-standard chemical elements and establish non-purview under BIS standards.
Drafting technical justification letter, end-use undertaking, and comparative chemical equivalence tables.
Online application filing on the designated Ministry portal with full commercial documents and technical annexures.
Representation of your case before the Technical Committee comprising metallurgists from the Ministry of Steel and BIS.
Ministry issues official signed NOC document sent directly to Indian Customs and uploaded to ICEGATE for instant cargo release.
Certified MTC from producing mill with ladle analysis, heat numbers, chemical composition, and mechanical properties.
Signed commercial invoice specifying invoice number, weight in metric tonnes (MT), grade name, and tariff code.
Copy of BL indicating container numbers, port of loading, port of discharge, and consignee details.
Formal letter on company letterhead explaining exact industrial end-application and technical reasons standard BIS steel cannot be used.
Upload your MTC for an instant technical feasibility review.