Steel Ministry Introduces SARAL SIMS Portal to Ease Small-Volume Steel Imports

The Ministry of Steel has launched a major policy upgrade aimed at simplifying the steel import process for micro, small and medium enterprises and exporters. The newly introduced SARAL SIMS system is designed to ease the compulsory registration process under the Steel Import Monitoring System for small-volume consignments. The Ministry announced that the online platform is now accessible to importers through the official website sims.steel.gov.in where the entire procedure has been streamlined for faster processing.

Under the new SARAL SIMS system, importers need to declare only the total annual quantity they intend to import. Once completed, they will receive a SARAL SIMS registration number that can be used for multiple consignments throughout the financial year. This removes the need to generate separate SIMS numbers for each shipment, significantly reducing procedural delays for small importers handling frequent steel consignments.

The new simplified system permits small consignments of up to 10 MT per shipment, with a total annual limit of 1,000 MT for the “SARAL SIMS for Small Import” category. For the current financial year 2025–26, the Ministry has fixed a transitional cap of 500 MT, after which the full 1,000 MT limit will be applicable from 2026–27. For importers operating under Advance Authorisation, SEZ or EOU routes, there is no quantity restriction under the “SARAL SIMS for Export Purposes” category, offering greater flexibility for export-linked steel movements.

Another major reform includes scrapping the long-standing requirement for clarification or a no-objection certificate from the Ministry for Non-QCO steel grades. QCO refers to Quality Control Order standards, and the removal of approval for Non-QCO grades will allow importers to generate SIMS numbers directly from the portal without additional documentation.

The Ministry has also revamped the regular SIMS framework by reducing the number of required data fields from 56 to 20, ensuring faster and more efficient registrations. Importers using SARAL SIMS must file an annual return by 30 April detailing the actual imports made.

With SARAL SIMS now operational, the Steel Ministry aims to enhance transparency, reduce compliance burdens and support MSMEs with a more predictable and user-friendly import monitoring platform.