HSN Code for Steel in India: Stainless, Carbon and Alloy Steel Classification

HSN codes for steel in India fall under Chapters 72 and 73 of the Customs Tariff Act, 1975. Stainless steel is classified under headings 7218 to 7223, carbon steel under 7206 to 7217, and alloy steel under 7224 to 7229. Chapter 73 covers finished articles made of iron or steel, such as pipes, tubes, and fittings. Getting the right heading depends on the type of steel, its form (ingot, flat-rolled, bars, wire), and whether it is hot-rolled or cold-rolled.

What are the HSN codes for steel in India?

Steel classification under India's Customs Tariff follows the Harmonized System (HS), which India implements as HSN (Harmonized System of Nomenclature). All iron and steel products sit in Chapter 72, while finished articles of iron and steel go into Chapter 73.

Chapter 72 breaks down into four broad groups:

Pig iron, ferro-alloys, and iron (7201-7205): These are raw materials. Pig iron is 7201, ferro-alloys 7202, granules and powders 7205. Most importers dealing with finished steel products will not need these headings.

Carbon (non-alloy) steel (7206-7217): This is where the bulk of steel trade happens. The range covers everything from iron and steel ingots (7206) through semi-finished products (7207), flat-rolled products (7208-7212), bars and rods (7213-7215), angles, shapes, and sections (7216), and wire (7217).

Stainless steel (7218-7223): Stainless steel gets its own block because classification depends on chromium content (minimum 10.5% by weight) and carbon content (maximum 1.2%). Semi-finished stainless is 7218, flat-rolled is 7219 (width 600mm or more) or 7220 (width under 600mm), bars and rods are 7221 (hot-rolled) or 7222 (other forms including cold-finished), and wire is 7223.

Other alloy steel (7224-7229): Alloy steels that don't qualify as stainless. Ingots and semi-finished are 7224, flat-rolled is 7225-7226, bars and rods are 7227-7228, and wire is 7229.

Quick reference table with GST and typical BCD rates:

Rates sourced from the CBIC Customs Tariff, FY 2025-26. Actual rates may vary by specific sub-heading and applicable notifications.

How do I classify stainless steel vs carbon steel vs alloy steel?

This is where most classification errors happen. The distinction between these three categories depends on the chemical composition of the steel, and getting it wrong shifts the product into an entirely different heading with different duty rates.

Step 1: Check the chromium and carbon content

If the steel contains at least 10.5% chromium by weight and no more than 1.2% carbon by weight, it is stainless steel (7218-7223). This is the first test, and it overrides everything else.

Step 2: If not stainless, check for alloy elements

Note 1(f) of Chapter 72 defines alloy steel as steel containing one or more specified elements above certain thresholds. For example: manganese above 1.65%, silicon above 0.6%, chromium above 0.3% (but below stainless thresholds), nickel above 0.3%, molybdenum above 0.08%, and several others. If any alloy element exceeds its threshold, the product is alloy steel (7224-7229).

Step 3: Everything else is carbon (non-alloy) steel

If the steel does not meet either the stainless or alloy steel definitions, it is classified as non-alloy (carbon) steel under 7206-7217.

Step 4: Determine the form

Once you know the steel type, the specific heading depends on the product form:

• Semi-finished products (ingots, billets, blooms, slabs): 7207 (carbon), 7218 (stainless), 7224 (alloy)
• Flat-rolled products: 7208-7212 (carbon), 7219-7220 (stainless), 7225-7226 (alloy)
• Bars, rods, angles, shapes: 7213-7216 (carbon), 7221-7222 (stainless), 7227-7228 (alloy)
• Wire: 7217 (carbon), 7223 (stainless), 7229 (alloy)

For flat-rolled products, width matters. Stainless steel flat-rolled products 600mm or wider go under 7219; narrower than 600mm goes under 7220. The same width split applies to carbon steel: 7208/7209 (≥600mm, hot/cold-rolled) vs 7211 (under 600mm).

Hot-rolled vs cold-rolled also changes the sub-heading. For instance, stainless steel bars and rods that are hot-rolled or hot-drawn fall under 7221, while those that are cold-formed, cold-finished, or further worked go under 7222.

What are the import duties on steel in India?

Steel import duties in India have multiple components. The total landed cost depends on the product type, country of origin, and whether any trade remedy duties apply.

Basic Customs Duty (BCD)

BCD on steel products ranges from 0% on certain raw forms to 15% on finished products. The most common rates:

• Semi-finished steel (billets, slabs): 5-7.5%
• Flat-rolled carbon steel: 7.5-10%
• Stainless steel flat-rolled: 7.5%
• Bars, rods, and structural sections: 10%
• Steel pipes and tubes: 10%
• Alloy steel ingots and semi-finished: 5%

Safeguard duties on flat steel products

India extended safeguard duties on certain flat steel products for three years starting April 21, 2025. These apply to products under HS codes 7208, 7209, 7210, 7211, 7212, 7225, and 7226:

• 12% for April 2025 to April 2026
• 11.5% for April 2026 to April 2027
• 11% for April 2027 to April 2028

Exemptions apply to stainless steel, cold-rolled electrical steel, and tinplate. Imports above certain price thresholds (e.g., $675/ton CIF for hot-rolled coil) are also exempt.

Anti-dumping duties

India maintains active anti-dumping duties on several steel products. The major ones currently in force:

• Cold-rolled non-oriented electrical steel (CRNO) from China: $223.8 to $414.9 per tonne, imposed December 2025 for five years
• Cold-rolled stainless steel 300/400 series from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam: Under investigation since September 2025; final determination expected late 2026
• Alloy steel tools from China and Korea: Definitive duties in force since June 2024 for five years

Other levies

On top of BCD, importers pay IGST (18% for most steel products), Social Welfare Surcharge (10% of BCD for most items), and any applicable cess. The effective total duty on a typical steel import can reach 30-40% when all components are stacked together.

What Budget 2025-26 changes affect steel trade?

The Union Budget 2025-26 changed several things for steel importers and exporters.

Safeguard duty extension. The biggest change is the three-year safeguard duty on flat steel products mentioned above. India imposed this after finished steel imports surged 26.6% during April-November 2024-25, reaching 6.5 million tonnes, the highest level in eight years. Chinese steel imports alone rose 22.8% to 1.96 million tonnes in the same period.

Tariff rate rationalization. The budget removed seven customs tariff rates for industrial goods, bringing the total to eight distinct rates (including zero). For steel importers, this means fewer rate tiers to deal with, though the specific rates on most steel products stayed where they were.

Social Welfare Surcharge exemptions. The budget exempted SWS on 82 tariff lines. Some steel products may benefit from this, reducing the effective duty by the 10% surcharge component.

Quality Control Orders. BIS quality control orders continue to tighten for steel products sold in India. Imported steel that does not meet BIS standards may face additional compliance requirements at the border, even if the HSN code and duty are correct.

The practical takeaway: importers bringing in flat-rolled carbon steel or alloy steel products now face an additional 11.5-12% safeguard duty on top of BCD and IGST. Factor this into landed cost calculations. Stainless steel flat-rolled products are currently exempt from the safeguard duty, but that could change depending on the outcome of the ongoing DGTR investigation.

How does Eximoz help with steel HSN classification?

Steel classification covers two chapters and dozens of headings. A single product can land in a different heading depending on whether it is hot-rolled or cold-rolled, whether the width is above or below 600mm, or whether the chromium content crosses 10.5%.

Eximoz automates this. Feed it a product description, and it analyses the carbon content, alloy composition, and form to assign the correct HS code at the 8-digit level. It checks against the current CBIC tariff schedule and flags any anti-dumping duties, safeguard duties, or BIS quality control requirements before the shipment reaches the port.

If you are a steel trader or CHA handling mixed consignments with stainless, carbon, and alloy products in the same shipment, this replaces the manual lookup across Chapter 72 sub-headings. Less time on classification, fewer BoE amendments.

Frequently asked questions

What is the HSN code for stainless steel sheets?

Stainless steel sheets (flat-rolled products) fall under 7219 if the width is 600mm or more, or 7220 if the width is under 600mm. Within these headings, the sub-heading depends on whether the product is hot-rolled or cold-rolled and its thickness. For stainless steel in other forms: bars and rods (hot-rolled) are 7221, other bars, rods, angles, and shapes are 7222, and wire is 7223.

What is the BCD on steel imports?

BCD varies by product type. Raw forms and semi-finished steel attract 0-7.5%, flat-rolled products are typically 7.5-10%, and bars, rods, and finished products range from 10-15%. On top of BCD, most steel products carry 18% IGST, a 10% Social Welfare Surcharge on BCD, and any applicable anti-dumping or safeguard duties. Check the specific 8-digit HS code against the CBIC Customs Tariff for the exact rate.

What is the HSN code for TMT bars?

TMT (thermo-mechanically treated) bars, which are deformed reinforcement bars used in construction, fall under heading 7213 (bars and rods, hot-rolled, in irregularly wound coils) or 7214 (other bars and rods, not further worked than forged, hot-rolled, hot-drawn, or hot-extruded). Specifically, TMT bars are usually classified under 7213 10 (concrete reinforcing bars) or 7214 20 (with indentations, ribs, grooves, from the rolling process). The correct sub-heading depends on the cross-sectional shape and how the product is presented.

Are there anti-dumping duties on steel?

Yes. India has active anti-dumping duties on several steel products, primarily targeting imports from China, Korea, Indonesia, and Vietnam. As of early 2026, duties are in force on cold-rolled non-oriented electrical steel (CRNO) from China at $223.8-$414.9 per tonne. An investigation is also underway on cold-rolled stainless steel (300 and 400 series) from China, Indonesia, and Vietnam. These duties are on top of BCD and other levies, and they change periodically as DGTR reviews expire or new investigations conclude. Check the DGTR website (dgtr.gov.in) for the current list.

What is the difference between Chapter 72 and Chapter 73?

Chapter 72 covers iron and steel as materials: ingots, semi-finished products, flat-rolled sheets, bars, rods, wire, and similar primary or semi-processed forms. Chapter 73 covers articles made of iron or steel: pipes, tubes, fittings, containers, wire products like fencing, screws, bolts, and other manufactured items. The distinction matters because the same steel in sheet form (Chapter 72) attracts a different duty rate than the same steel formed into a pipe (Chapter 73). If you are importing raw or semi-processed steel, you are in Chapter 72. If you are importing something that has been manufactured into a specific product, look at Chapter 73.