Harmonised System (HS) codes for the Critical minerals (CRM) and related products

1. Context:

As India advances its climate goals, critical minerals are becoming increasingly important in supporting clean technology manufacturing, facilitating the energy transition, and enabling the transformation toward sustained economic growth. However, tracking and monitoring cross-border trade in CRM-based products remains challenging, as existing HS code classifications often fail to adequately capture the specificity of trade in key minerals. Against this backdrop, we aim to solve for gaps in the HS code classification of CRMs and related products to enhance data tracking, accountability, and transparency in trade. This includes checking for the need to introduce new HS codes or refining existing product descriptions to avoid overlaps resulting from the import of similar products under different HS codes.

To this end, we seek to engage a qualified organisation to study existing issues in HS code classification and help develop a comprehensive list of HS codes for key critical minerals and related products through revisions in existing descriptions or proposals for new ones. The aim is to improve cross-border trade tracking, enabling better assessment of supply chain vulnerabilities, and informed trade policy decisions on tariffs and sourcing diversification.

The list of some CRMs and related products are as follows:

Other CRMs and their corresponding HS codes for India can be explored on the DGFT portal: https://www.dgft.gov.in/CP/?opt=itchs.

For global trade data on CRMs and related products at the 6-digit HS code level, refer to: https://www.critmin.org.

2. Scope of work

The service provider will be required to:

• Assess existing issues in HS codes relevant to CRMs and related products and map the most appropriate HS codes for each identified product.
• Benchmark and analyse country-specific HS codes for similar products in countries with substantial trade and competitiveness in CRMs, and accordingly provide suggestions to improve India’s trade data accountability and tracking.
• Support stakeholder consultations with industry representatives to gather insights and validate research findings.
• Propose a list of revised or new 8-digit HS codes based on the research and consultation outcomes.

Deliverables:

3. Evaluation Criteria

Applicants are required to submit a comprehensive proposal, with points awarded according to the weightage indicated in parentheses. In addition to the organisational profile, including a brief overview of the organisation, relevant experience, and past projects, the proposal must include the following components:

• Budget (30 per cent): A detailed budget outlining the cost of carrying out the assignment. The budget should provide a clear breakdown of costs across categories such as personnel, administrative expenses, and any other relevant expenditures in the given format.

  Sr. No.	Budget head	Cost with applicable taxes (in INR)
  1	Personnel
  2	Administrative
  3	Other costs
  4	Total cost

• Technical (50 per cent): Demonstrated expertise and prior experience in international trade databases, HS code classification, and commodity trade mapping. Applicants must also provide their proposed approach and methodology for addressing the stated problem, with logical reasoning and clear step by step breakdown.
• Timelines and project plan (20 per cent): A detailed project timeline outlining key activities and deliverables, along with the estimated time allocation for each phase of the study.

We seek a detailed proposal and quotation by 21 July 2025, 11:59 PM (IST) to the following email address: geeta.tiwari@ceew.in. Any queries before proposal submission can be directed to the same email address by 16 July 2025, 11:59 PM (IST).