While steel imports require a BIS licence, certain steel grades not covered under BIS standards can be imported with a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Ministry of Steel. The NOC, issued in advance, permits imports for the next six months based on declared quantities.

Applicants must submit their NOC applications online through the Steel Import Monitoring System (SIMS) Portal. The Ministry of Steel processes these applications regularly in a time-bound manner as per prescribed norms.